A 36-year-old Texas native now living in Bogotá, Colombia, is facing an investigation after being accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old boy in his custody. The incident drew international attention after a widely circulated social media video allegedly showed the man holding the boy over a balcony rail. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has since publicly denounced the allegations.
According to CBS, the video appeared to show the abuse taking place in “broad daylight,” with passersby in a northern Bogotá neighborhood shouting at the man to stop. The footage has since come under scrutiny itself, with President Petro taking to X to claim it was AI-generated.
According to Bogotá immigration authorities, the Texas native arrived in the country on June 6. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody by local authorities on Sunday. As investigations continue, the president posted a lengthy statement on X, alleging that unknown parties “want to dumb us down through artificial intelligence on information channels.”
Petro wrote in part, “A good lesson in reality for those of us who can easily be collectively deceived by images that do not match reality, and that is precisely what the entire Colombian society lives through.” In the same post, the Colombian president continued: “Bombarded by companies with artificial intelligence and with foreign money from genocidaires and drug traffickers that make those who never took up arms look like guerrillas and are simply a philosopher trying to understand the truth that was hidden because his father, being a senator of the republic and my colleague in my parliamentary work, was assassinated by some military men to avenge an FARC attack against a general in Meta.”
Debo notificar a la sociedad colombiana porque mi compromiso es con la verdad, que el ciudadano norteamericano de origen en Texas, capturado en un apartamento del norte de Bogotá, al parecer no violó ninguno de sus hijos adoptados en Colombia
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) June 16, 2026
Lo saco al balcón por un atoramiento…
According to an investigation by CBS, the house where the suspect lived had three children inside when police finally entered the property. The investigation also found that the suspect may have adopted the children, which could explain why they were in his custody. Despite the president’s statement, investigations remain ongoing, with more details expected as the case develops.
It remains unclear why Petro made these assertions. Furthermore, the Colombian president provided no evidence for his claim that the video was artificially generated. There is also no clarification on whether his remarks will have any bearing on the ongoing criminal investigation involving the Texas native and the Colombian minor.
Colombia has seen multiple similar cases. The government has been grappling with rising incidents of “sex tourism.” According to KSAT, in Medellín alone, local authorities reported a nearly 60% surge in documented cases, with child sexual exploitation rising to more than 1,200 cases in 2024.
The report suggests that much of the sex tourism in the country is driven by poverty and increased migration from Venezuela. This is seen as a contributing factor that attracts some foreigners to travel to the country and exploit vulnerable conditions to engage in activities that are prohibited under Colombian law.
The Colombian government has been working to curb the trend through airport inadmissions, local bans on sex work, and stricter hotel regulations.
