Former Honduran police officer Ludwing Criss Zelaya Romero, extradited to the United States, where he served a sentence for drug trafficking and weapons use, filed a request in a New York court in September 11, 2023, seeking a reduction in his sentence. .
Zelaya Romero requested the reduction based on the time he served behind bars and what he considered “unique and convincing reasons.”
He also requested the appointment of the Office of the Federal Defender to support him in this legal process.
The request of Honduras was sent to Judge Lorna Schofield, who sent the petition to the Government and established October 2, 2023 as the deadline for its response.
In May 2021, he was sentenced to 144 months in prison (12 years) after pleading guilty to two charges. The first, for his participation in a conspiracy to import 500 grams or more of cocaine into the United States.
The second time, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in connection with drug trafficking.
Zelaya Romero should be released on February 5, 2026. However, on June 23, 2023, he submitted a request for Compassionate Release to the prison director of USP Yazoo City, located in Mississippi, which was denied.
Criminal history
According to the investigation of the US Attorney’s Office, in 2012, Devis Leonel Rivera, leader of Los Cachiros, ordered Zelaya Romero with a group of hit men to Puerto Lempira to ambush a rival drug trafficker. In July 2013, Cachiro tasked the former crime officer with a journalist who was critical of him.
The US Attorney’s Office requested that Nájera be sentenced to life in prison. “As a result, a journalist named AnÃbal Barrow, although he was not the intended target, was killed,” the investigation said.
In the DEA interview, Zelaya admitted that he was shocked when he heard that AnÃbal Barrow was killed because he was not the target.
The former agent was an important part of Cachiros and Valle Valle in a massacre carried out by their hitmen outside the airport of Ramón Villeda Morales, in La Lima, in 2011. Six people members of the gang known as the gang died in the attack.crickets.
According to what Zelaya told the DEA agents, the Grillos stole 100 kilos from Cachiros and Valles, who after the robbery decided to send a message to their opponents that this behavior will not be tolerated.
