Former Colombian Army Officer Sentenced in D.C. for Cocaine Distribution Scheme
In a federal courtroom in Washington, D.C., a former officer of the Colombian National Army was sentenced to more than five years in prison for his role in a scheme to send multiple kilograms of cocaine to the United States. Jairo Aldres Alzate Milan, 36, who once served as an intelligence officer for the Colombian military, received a 65-month prison term on October 8, 2025, after pleading guilty to a drug distribution charge earlier this year, according to federal authorities.
Source note: This article is based on a public release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case, investigated by the FBI and the DEA, highlights the kind of transnational drug trafficking network that federal law enforcement has long targeted. The defendant, also known by aliases “Llorente” and “Andres Millan,” admitted in his plea that he was responsible for distributing nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine – and he intended for that entire amount to reach the United States. The sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is a concrete reminder that people who occupy positions of public trust, including foreign military officers, can become caught up in the global narcotics trade.
The Sentence
Jairo Alzate Milan was sentenced to 65 months – a little over five years – in federal prison. That prison term is to be followed by four years of supervised release, the court-ordered period of monitoring and restrictions that comes after incarceration. The sentence was imposed under federal guidelines that consider the quantity of drugs involved, the defendant’s role, and the acceptance of responsibility reflected in a guilty plea. Milan’s plea to a charge of unlawful distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, knowing it would be imported into the United States, carried a statutory maximum of 40 years, but the 65-month term was the result of a careful weighing of the facts by the court.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, together with representatives of the FBI and DEA, detailed how Milan’s actions fit into a pattern of drug trafficking that law enforcement has been working to disrupt. The government argued that the sentence should reflect the seriousness of the offense and the need to deter others who might consider using their position, training, or connections to facilitate the movement of narcotics. Judge Kollar-Kotelly ultimately imposed a sentence that, while representing a significant loss of freedom, also took into account Milan’s guilty plea and the absence of prior criminal convictions in the United States.
The sentence is not the end of the legal consequences: Milan, a Colombian national, will may have face deportation proceedings after his prison term, and his supervised release will include standard conditions such as drug testing, travel restrictions, and a prohibition on possessing firearms.
The Guilty Plea and What the Defendant Admitted
On May 13, 2025, Milan pleaded guilty to an Information – a formal charging document – alleging one count of unlawful distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States. An Information is sometimes used instead of an indictment when a defendant waives indictment and agrees to proceed with a guilty plea. By entering that plea, Milan accepted responsibility for the specific criminal acts described in the factual statement attached to his plea agreement.
One of the most significant aspects of the plea is that Milan admitted he was responsible for distributing 9.85 kilograms of cocaine in March 2019, and that he intended for that entire quantity to be smuggled into the United States. That admission was a key element of the government’s case, because federal law often treats drug quantities as a factor in sentencing. The plea agreement also included a statement of facts that walked through a series of meetings Milan had with another person, conversations that were partially captured on audio and video recordings. Those meetings, which took place in Colombia in early 2019, showed Milan negotiating the price and logistics of transporting 10 kilograms of cocaine to the U.S. via a route that would pass through Guatemala.
In his plea, Milan did not contest the essential facts. He acknowledged that he provided ten bricks of cocaine weighing a total of 9.85 kilograms to an individual who had specifically asked whether the cargo was destined for the United States. Milan confirmed that it was. He also confirmed that he had been paid approximately 45 million Colombian Pesos, the equivalent of about $13,000 U.S. dollars at the time, for the cocaine. By pleading guilty, Milan waived his right to a trial and accepted that the government had enough evidence to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Scheme Described by Prosecutors
The factual basis for the guilty plea lays out a relatively straightforward drug transaction, but one that reveals careful planning and a clear understanding of the transnational nature of the illicit narcotics trade. According to the plea documents, Milan met with an unindicted individual – referred to simply as “the individual” – on three separate occasions in early 2019. The first meeting, on January 29, 2019, was a get-to-know-you encounter where Milan and the individual discussed building a drug trafficking relationship. At that meeting, the individual directly asked Milan: “You know that cargo is going to the United States. All of it, yes?” Milan answered, “Yes.” The two also settled on a price that included the added cost of transporting the cocaine to the United States.
The second meeting, on February 2, 2019, moved from generalities to concrete logistics. The individual explained that a plane in Santa Marta, Colombia, would be used to transport the cocaine first to Guatemala and then onward to the United States. The two men discussed the need to know the exact weight of the cocaine in advance, so that customs manifest forms would match the cargo’s declared contents – a detail that underlines the sophistication of the operation. The manifest ruse was intended to hide the drugs in plain sight, using legitimate-looking paperwork to slip the shipment past inspection.
The final meeting, on March 5, 2019, took place in Cali, Colombia, and was recorded on audio and video by law enforcement. At that meeting, Milan told the individual that he “had the 10,” referring to 10 kilograms of cocaine. He then confirmed his understanding that “this one is going to New York.” Investigators later recovered ten bricks of cocaine, which together weighed 9.85 kilograms – slightly less than the full 10 kilos, but still a massive amount of a controlled substance. The slight variation in weight is not unusual in drug trafficking; the standard brick can vary slightly from the expected kilogram.
After the transaction, Milan was paid 45 million Colombian Pesos. That payment, about $13,000, may seem small relative to the street value of nearly 10 kilos of cocaine in the United States, but it reflects the economics of a source-level transaction: the price per kilogram in Colombia is far lower than its value after it crosses multiple borders and is broken down for distribution in American cities. The government’s theory, which Milan effectively adopted by his plea, was that he was a supplier at the origin point of a pipeline designed to move cocaine from South America to the United States.
Timeline of the Case
Below is a timeline of the key events, drawn from the plea documents and the FBI release:
- January 29, 2019: Milan meets with an individual to begin a drug trafficking relationship and discusses that the cocaine is bound for the U.S.
- February 2, 2019: A second meeting covers logistics, including the use of a plane from Santa Marta and the need to match customs manifest weights.
- March 5, 2019: In Cali, Colombia, Milan provides 9.85 kilograms of cocaine for payment of about $13,000. The interaction is recorded.
- May 22, 2021: Milan is arrested in Colombia on charges related to this case.
- September 12, 2024: After extradition proceedings, Milan is extradited to the United States.
- May 13, 2025: Milan pleads guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of unlawful distribution of cocaine for importation.
- October 8, 2025: Judge Kollar-Kotelly sentences Milan to 65 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
The nearly three-year gap between the recorded drug transaction in March 2019 and Milan’s arrest in May 2021 is not unusual in transnational drug investigations. Building a case that satisfies extradition requirements, coordinates with foreign governments, and preserves the integrity of evidence takes substantial time. The extradition itself, from Colombia to the United States, took more than three years – from arrest in May 2021 to the transfer in September 2024. Such delays are common in high-stakes cross-border prosecutions, where procedural safeguards and international legal cooperation are required.
The Role of Law Enforcement
The joint efforts of U.S. and Colombian authorities were central to the case. On the U.S. side, the investigation was led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with significant support from the DEA’s Washington Division. The DEA’s Mid-Atlantic Laboratory provided the forensic link: it tested nine of the ten bricks seized from the March 2019 transaction and confirmed the presence of cocaine in all nine units. That laboratory analysis turned the bricks from an alleged drug seizure into evidence that could be presented in a U.S. courtroom.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Peter Roman, assigned to the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Their office, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, has made a priority of prosecuting transnational drug networks that seek to flood American communities with cocaine and other narcotics. By bringing a case against a former Colombian military officer, the office sent a message that no level of institutional authority abroad offers immunity from investigation and prosecution when the end destination of the illegal drugs is the United States.
The FBI release noted that this matter occurred on the date indicated but was not published at that time due to a government shutdown. That detail serves as a reminder of how external events can delay the public disclosure of law enforcement actions, even after convictions and sentencings have occurred.
What Remains Publicly Unclear
Despite the detailed recitation of facts in the plea agreement, several aspects of the case remain outside the public record. The identity of the individual who met with Milan and later cooperated or was recorded by law enforcement has not been disclosed. It is not known whether that person was a confidential informant, an undercover agent, or a co-conspirator who later agreed to cooperate. The public release does not specify whether any other arrests were made in connection with this drug pipeline, nor does it indicate whether the plane referenced in the logistics discussions was ever identified or seized.
Additionally, while Milan admitted his involvement in the specific March 2019 transaction, it is unclear whether he was part of a larger network. As a former intelligence officer, he may have had access to information or connections that go beyond this single event, but no such broader allegations were included in the charging document. The government has not publicly linked Milan to any other trafficking activity, and he has not been charged with any further offenses.
It also remains uncertain exactly where in Colombia the cocaine was manufactured, though the Colombian cocaine trade is known to be concentrated in certain areas. The release does not state who cultivated the coca or processed the cocaine; those upstream actors are often difficult to identify and prosecute. And while the prison term of 65 months may appear modest for nearly 10 kilos of cocaine, the sentencing considerations and the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility can lead to sentences far below the statutory maximum. The public is left to weigh the sentence against the government’s assertion that this was a serious transnational crime.
The Public-Interest Angle
Cases like this one gain public attention not only because of the drug quantities involved, but because of the defendant’s background. A former intelligence officer in the Colombian National Army occupies a position of special trust; the Colombian military has a long and complicated relationship with the illegal drug trade, and its officers receive training and access that can be abused for criminal purposes. When someone with that profile is caught participating in a drug distribution scheme, it raises questions about institutional corruption, the permeability of state security forces, and the ongoing challenge of cutting off the supply of cocaine from South America.
From a policy standpoint, this sentence illustrates how international law enforcement cooperation can work. The extradition of a Colombian national to stand trial in the United States is a complex undertaking that requires diplomatic, legal, and operational coordination. It demonstrates that even when a crime occurs primarily in another country, if the intended destination is the U.S., American prosecutors will pursue the case.
For the public, the lesson is a cautionary one: drug trafficking is not a victimless crime. The cocaine that Milan intended to ship to New York would may have have been cut, packaged, and sold in American neighborhoods, contributing to addiction, violence, and the destabilization of communities. While the government’s ability to stop the flow completely is limited, the sentencing of one person can have a deterrent effect, particularly among those who might consider using their official or military standing to get involved in the drug trade.
The case also serves as a test case for how the U.S. criminal justice system handles foreign defendants. From the moment of Milan’s arrest in Colombia to his guilty plea and sentencing in Washington, D.C., he was afforded due process rights, including the right to counsel, the right to a speedy trial, and the right to contest the charges. His extradition, while lengthy, followed a formalized legal process. That procedural fairness is a crucial part of maintaining the legitimacy of transnational prosecutions.
The FBI and DEA have consistently emphasized that targeting high-level suppliers and facilitators is a cornerstone of their strategy to reduce the supply of illegal narcotics. While seizing a single shipment of 9.85 kilograms of cocaine is a modest win in a global market where tons of cocaine move every year, the disruption of even one pipeline and the imprisonment of a mid-level supplier can ripple outward, temporarily disrupting distribution chains and sending a clear message.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jairo Alzate Milan plead guilty to?
He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States. This charge was brought via an Information, and Milan accepted the facts as described in the plea agreement.
How much cocaine was involved?
Milan provided ten bricks of cocaine with a total weight of 9.85 kilograms (nearly 10 kilos). Laboratory testing by the DEA confirmed the presence of cocaine in the seized bricks.
What was his sentence?
He was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on October 8, 2025.
How did law enforcement uncover the scheme?
The case was built using recorded meetings between Milan and another individual. On March 5, 2019, a meeting in Cali, Colombia, was captured on audio and video, showing Milan delivering the cocaine and discussing its destination. This evidence, along with other investigative steps, led to his arrest in 2021 and eventual extradition.
Why did it take several years between the crime and the sentencing?
Transnational drug cases often take years because of the need to coordinate with foreign governments, gather evidence abroad, secure extradition, and allow for legal proceedings in both countries. Milan was arrested in Colombia in May 2021, extradited in September 2024, and sentenced in October 2025.
Sources
This article is based on public information released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has been independently rewritten, summarized, and contextualized by Shadab Chow News. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice, any court, or any government agency. It may be updated as more confirmed information becomes available.