Judicial Attachés (JUDATT)

NDDS’ Judicial Attaché’s Office (“JUDATT”) is the Department of Justice’s main representative at the United States Embassy in Colombia.  JUDATT is staffed by the Judicial Attaché and the Deputy Judicial Attaché.  Both are federal prosecutors with substantial investigative, trial, and appellate experience.   

JUDATT’s mission is three-fold:

1. Extraditions – JUDATT, working with DOJ’s Office of International Affairs, manages the extradition program for all extraditions from Colombia to the United States with a yearly average of over 100 extraditions.  Approximately 80% of extraditions out of Colombia are for narcotics offenses; the other 20% include other transnational crime offenses.   
2. Operational Guidance and Training – JUDATT provides counsel and judicial support to all U.S. federal law enforcement present in Colombia, with the goal of ensuring that bilateral investigations comport with U.S. and Colombian law and relevant international treaties, and result in successful prosecution of defendants in the United States.  U.S. law enforcement agents from numerous law enforcement agencies have a permanent presence in Colombia.  The law enforcement agencies work with Colombian police and prosecutors to build investigations in Colombia to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. 
3. DOJ’s Representative – Finally, JUDATT represents the Department of Justice’s interests in Colombia.  JUDATT interacts regularly with Embassy leadership and other U.S. government offices in Colombia, as well as with all levels of multiple Colombian government agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office, Colombian National Police, Ministry of Justice and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.