By Natalia Rueda 
A new child sex abuse case shakes Colombia, this time the recent arrest of Stefan Andres Correa, a 42 year old pharmacist from Miami, Florida, on charges of child sex trafficking in Colombia, has deeply shaken the national and international community. Correa’s arrest by law enforcement officers at Miami International Airport, just before boarding a flight to Bogota and Medellin, has highlighted the alarming reality of child sex abuse and the urgent need for concerted action to combat this heinous crime.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Correa, he is alleged to have been in contact with a pimp in Medellin to arrange meetings with girls under the age of 12 for the purpose of sexually abusing them. What makes this case even more disturbing is the frequency with which Correa had traveled to Colombia over the past two years, more than 40 times, a fact that had already drawn the attention of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agency.
The discovery of nine phones in Correa’s possession, which contained videos of him performing sexual acts with minors, as well as chats between Correa and an alleged sex trafficker, in which Correa paid for sex with minors during his trips to Colombia. The content of these chats, in which Correa allegedly asked the girls to submit to abuse in every way and not to complain about the pain, is particularly disturbing and highlights the depravity of his actions. The payment for these abuses of these minors ranged from 300,000 Colombian pesos to iPhones. In one particularly chilling exchange, Correa reportedly wrote: “Please don’t interrupt, whatever happens, if all goes well, it can be an iPhone XS.”
Official document from the Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida
This case serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for greater international cooperation to combat child sex trafficking in Colombia and around the world. It is imperative that governments and law enforcement agencies work together diligently to investigate, arrest and prosecute those involved in these heinous crimes. Protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse must be a top priority.
The case of Timothy Alan Livingstone, who was found with two minors aged 12 and 13 in a hotel room in Medellín but managed to escape from authorities, further underscores the need for decisive action. It is essential that Livingstone be brought to justice in the United States to answer for his reprehensible acts.
While the arrest of Stefan Andres Correa is a step in the right direction, it is clear that much remains to be done to address the root causes of child sex trafficking. Only through a concerted and sustained effort by the international community can we eradicate this abhorrent practice and ensure a safer future for children.