Michael Sang Correa, 46, was on Friday sentenced to 810 months in prison by Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello for the District of Denver, Colorado after being convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit torture and five counts of torture.
Correa, a former member of ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh’s one time most feared hit squad—had tortured his victims, included burning victims’ flesh with molten plastic and subjecting them to repeated, vicious beatings over the course of weeks using a variety of weapons.
His sentencing, which each count carried a maximum penalty of 20 years, leaving him exposed to a possible 120-year sentence.
“Today, Michael Correa has finally been held accountable for the brutal violence he inflicted on others,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
“The victims of these crimes carried the weight of unimaginable suffering for years, not knowing whether they would ever see their torturer held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado.
“I hope this sentence can bring some kind of closure for his victims and their families. A standard was set with this trial and sentencing, Homeland Security Investigations will hunt down and bring to justice those that commit these horrific crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver.
The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture and personally tortured five victims, who were targeted based on suspicions that they had plotted against Jammeh. In today’s proceedings, several victims described the lasting physical and psychological harm that they have suffered as a result of Correa’s actions.
In March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to Mile 2 Prison, the main prison in the Gambia. Over the following weeks, the victims endured severe abuse, including beatings, stabbings, burnings, and electrocutions.
Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa and entered the United States in December 2016. He evaded apprehension until 2019, when ICE arrested him and placed him in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. national on federal torture charges.
Correa was convicted in April 2025 on six counts of torture, including conspiracy to commit torture and other abuses in victims.
Jammeh, who ruled tiny country—the Gambia in an authoritarian regime had tortured, executed, imprisoned, sexually abused, harassed, killed, unlawfully detained and enforced disappearances many Gambians and non-citizens alike.
He now lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea, following his defeat in 2016 Election being ousted in 2017, which many rights groups and international other organizations widely called both him and his abusers protected.
But many activists both local and internationally have since criticized the current government of President Barrow for not speeding up the prosecution of the most feared ex-junglers such as Malick Jatta, Omar Oya Jallow, Alieu Jeng, Ismaila Jammeh and the most powerful General Saul Badjie—who, the groups say are working freely in the Gambia.
Meanwhile, some officials who were implicated by the truth commission are also working for the state without being punished.
