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Former Honduran mayor Arnaldo Urbina Soto, who was extradited to the United States in January 2023, will face sentencing on September 13, 2024.
Arnaldo Urbina Soto , former mayor of Yoro and extradited to the United States in January 2023, is preparing to receive his sentence on September 13, 2024 .
The Honduran will appear before Judge Denise L. Cote , to whom he addressed a letter in which he implores mercy, clemency and expresses his regret for the acts that led him to prison.
Urbina, who is accused by the District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York of conspiring to traffic cocaine into the United States and of committing weapons-related crimes, says he will not engage in such criminal activities again.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Urbina Soto transported several drug shipments with former President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking .
In Brooklyn
For the past eight months, Urbina has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York , where he was sent following his extradition from Honduras .
During this time, prison authorities have described him as a “very hard-working, responsible and trustworthy” inmate.
According to an MDC report, the former mayor of Yoro is serving as a morning cook , responsible for preparing lunch for more than 1,300 inmates.
Her dedication and organization have been praised by authorities, who point out that Urbina not only fulfills her obligations, but volunteers to help in other areas of the kitchen, even on her days off.
The letter
The letter sent to the judge is a six-page manuscript in which the former mayor of Yoro recounts his 10 years of imprisonment, eight of which were spent in Honduras, and how this time has led him to deep repentance and to find a new faith in God.
In his letter, Urbina presents himself as a renewed man, committed to living according to the principles that now govern his life.
What does the letter say?
“I, Arnaldo Urbina Soto, married to Jonnely Salgado Umanzor and father of four children, with all due and customary respect, dare to address you through this letter.
On September 13, 2024, I will receive my sentence in the court that you worthily preside over.
On May 16, 2024, I pleaded guilty to the crime committed more than ten years ago, an act I deeply regret.
I assure you that I will never commit such a crime again in my life. This mistake has caused a long separation from my wife and children, and since July 27, 2014, I have been in prison.
I come from a functional family, but in 1992, when I was only 12 years old, I lost my father in a gun attack while we were returning home.
We were ambushed by men armed with AK-47 rifles . My father was mortally wounded and died hours later in a hospital. I was also wounded, but not seriously, and for more than 30 minutes we were alone until someone came to rescue us. I lived in fear that the attackers would return to finish us off.
Four years later, in 1996, when I was 15, I was again the victim of an armed attack, this time accompanying my mother.
A group of gunmen fired more than 200 shells, seriously wounding my mother, who managed to survive after several days of recovery. I, again, only suffered superficial wounds.
Path
I started my primary education in 1986 and finished it in 1992. I continued with my secondary education between 1993 and 1998, specialising in computer science.
In 1999, I entered university, where I graduated in 2004 with a degree in Legal and Social Sciences .
I was in practice until 2008, when I lost my mother to metastatic cancer, a devastating loss that motivated me to enter politics, following the wish she expressed on her deathbed.
In November 2009, I was elected mayor of the municipality of Yoro, a position I assumed on January 25, 2010. During my term, I worked in a region producing coffee, corn, beans and livestock.
In 2013, I was re-elected for a second term, but six months later, on July 27, 2014, my residence was raided by the authorities, and I was arrested. Since then, I have been in prison,” he said in the letter.
The arrest
“During my detention in various prisons in Honduras, I faced overcrowded, unsanitary and highly insecure conditions, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
I contracted the virus and was seriously ill in my cell for over 10 days, with limited medical care. However, it was in prison that I found God, accepting Him into my life in 2017. Since then, I have studied the Bible, attended church, and been active in Christian groups.
“Accepting God has transformed my life significantly. I now understand the path of truth and strive to do good, staying away from any criminal act. I am determined to teach my children to know God and live according to His principles,” the letter continued.
Begs for mercy
“Although I am physically absent, my wife Jonnely raises our children and maintains our home.
I acknowledge my responsibility for the mistakes I made and I ask your forgiveness, Your Honor, for the crime that brought me to this situation. I feel deeply sorry and I beg you to have mercy.
Since my extradition to New York on January 31, 2023, I have been working to reintegrate into society. I have studied English and have been working in the kitchen at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn since January 2024, which helps me acquire new skills.
Today, once again, I apologize for my mistakes, aware of the damage I caused in Yoro and in the United States.
“I am determined never to commit a crime of such magnitude that would lead me to lose my freedom and be away from my wife and children. Sincerely, Arnaldo Urbina Soto, former mayor of Yoro,” the letter concludes.
