The Supreme Court denies U.S. justice system’s attempt to try the case on American soil, stating that Colombian jurisdiction has precedence.
In a symbolic decision, the Colombian Supreme Court has denied the extradition of Heinz Pool Buleje, a Peruvian-American serial rapist, to the United States. Buleje had sexually abused dozens of underage girls in Medellín, Colombia over several years.
The case dates back to December 21, 2017, when police and prosecutors raided La Victoria farm in Copacabana. They acted on a tip from a distressed mother who reported her 15-year-old daughter and other minors were being sexually abused by two men at the farm. One of the men was Colombian Juan Guillermo Orozco, and the other was the foreigner Buleje, who had previously enticed girls with parties and payments for sex. On the premises, the police found 15 underage girls, drugs, alcohol, US and Colombian currency, five credit cards belonging to Buleje, and a suitcase full of women’s underwear.
Authorities established that between 2010 and 2017, Buleje traveled to Medellín at least seven times to organize and participate in orgies with minors, paying them between $150,000 and $300,000 Colombian Pesos for sexual acts. Furthermore, it was found that he traveled from the United States to Colombia in September 2017, arranging a trip with eight minors to Cartagena, where he sexually exploited them in exchange for money and gifts.
Pool Buleje is currently in prison, facing charges for commercial sexual exploitation of minors, sexual acts with a minor under 14, sexual tourism, drug trafficking, providing substances to minors, and conspiracy to commit a crime. In 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois formally charged Buleje with numerous counts, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors and illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with a person under 18.
The U.S. Court requested Buleje’s extradition, arguing that its penal code includes charges he faces in Colombia and that his U.S. citizenship gives them jurisdiction to try him. However, Colombia’s Supreme Court has ruled that it is inappropriate to extradite Buleje to the U.S. before he faces trial, serves his yet-to-be-imposed sentence, and potentially faces new charges for sex crimes against minors. Even after serving his sentence, which could take up to 20 years, he would remain under Colombian jurisdiction to face additional charges before he could be deported to the U.S.
The court’s refusal to extradite is based on the principle that Buleje’s crimes were committed in Colombia against minors, who are protected individuals, giving justice precedence to seek comprehensive reparations for the dozens of victims.
The Supreme Court also determined that some of the evidence provided by Buleje’s defense was, in plain terms, absurd and weak. It seemingly aimed to sidestep Colombian justice and facilitate extradition to his home state of Illinois, where he might evade legal consequences for his crimes.
The Supreme Court additionally rebuked the Eleventh Criminal Circuit Court of Medellín, urging it to take necessary measures to prevent further delays in the trial, including securing a reliable translator to ensure a swift and fair verdict.