Mexican judge arrested in Colombia over $2 million drug-case bribe
What's next: US prosecutors plan to seek extradition after accusing him of freeing Andrew Clark, a defendant tied to Ryan Wedding's cocaine case.
A Mexican judge was arrested in Colombia after US prosecutors charged him with taking a $2 million bribe to release alleged drug trafficker Andrew Clark, whose case is tied to former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. The Justice Department said Luis Benítez Alcántara, 49, faces nine counts of being an accessory after the fact. According to the indictment, Clark paid intermediaries over several months and Benítez granted bond and ordered Clark freed on Feb. 24, 2025, the same day the full bribe was delivered. Mexican authorities re-arrested Clark days later and sent him to the United States. US officials said they will seek Benítez's extradition from Colombia. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison on each count.