Pubdate: Mon, 18 Dec 2000
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2000 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108
Feedback: http://www.kansascity.com/Discussion/
Website: http://www.kcstar.com/
Author: Glenn E. Rice, The Kansas City Star

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS EXECUTION OF COLOMBIAN MAN FOR KILLING A DRUG DEALER

A Colombian man convicted of killing a drug dealer nearly three years
ago was sentenced Monday to die by lethal injection, the first federal
death penalty imposed in Kansas City since 1956.

Federal jurors in April convicted German C. Sinisterra, 36, and two
others of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, use of a firearm resulting
in murder in a drug trafficking crime and interstate travel in a
murder for hire.

Jurors recommended death for Sinisterra and Arboleda Ortiz, 33, but
could not agree on death for Plutarco Tello, 35, who faces a mandatory
sentence of life in prison without parole.

Ortiz and Tello, also Colombian nationals, are scheduled for
sentencing later this week, said Chris Whitley, spokesman for the U.S.
attorney's office.

Sinisterra's sentencing represents the first federal death penalty
imposed in Kansas City since Arthur Ross Brown was executed in 1956
for the murder of Wilma Allen, who had been kidnapped in Brookside.
Brown died in Missouri's gas chamber after he was convicted by a
federal jury.

Sinisterra, Ortiz and Tello, all from Houston, were convicted of
murdering Julian Colon, 23, in November 1998. Prosecutors say the
three men were members of a professional hit squad that lured Colon
and his nephew, Andres Borja-Molina, then 17, to a Kansas City
residence on Nov. 28, 1998.

Prosecutors said they bound Colon and his nephew with duct tape and
shot Colon in the head. A bullet meant for Borja-Molina failed to find
its mark, and he survived by playing dead. The two were then put in
the trunk of a car that was left in Swope Park.

Borja-Molina testified at the trial that he had been distributing
cocaine on behalf of Edwin R. Hinestroza, who he said accused him and
Colon of stealing $240,000 in drug profits.

After being arrested, the three men said Hinestroza hired them to beat
and shoot Colon and Borja-Molina.

"Today was the formal imposition by the court of the unanimous will of
12 jurors; these are the jurors who heard all of the evidence,"
Whitley said. "It was their belief that they should receive the death
penalty, and the court was required to impose that sentence."

In structuring the sentence Monday for Sinisterra, U.S. District Judge
Gary A. Fenner imposed a term of 27 years in prison without parole for
his conspiracy conviction, and concurrent death sentences for his
convictions for use of the firearm and interstate travel in
furtherance of murder for hire, noting the potential for appeals to be
filed in the case.

Whitley said the date of Sinisterra's execution would be set after his
appeals had been exhausted.
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