A 52-year-old Albanian man, twice sentenced to 25 years in prison for three murders committed in the Shkodra district, has been arrested in New York, as part of cooperation between the State Police and American law enforcement agencies.
This is Valentin Ftoni, who had been internationally wanted by Albanian authorities since 2001. According to the State Police, his location and capture in the United States was made possible after a long investigative work and coordination of actions with several American federal agencies.
According to Albanian authorities, Ftoni was sentenced by the Shkodra District Court to 25 years in prison on September 28, 2001, after being found guilty of premeditated murder, in collaboration, and illegal possession of weapons. The incident occurred on September 19, 2000, in Ças, Velipoja, where he is accused of killing Gjelosh and Ardiana Markaj, for blood feud reasons.
For another murder, committed on August 12, 2001, Ftoni was again sentenced to 25 years in prison by the same court, with a decision dated November 18, 2008. According to the decision, he was found guilty of the premeditated murder of Gac Toma, as well as of the criminal offense of illegal possession of a weapon.
The State Police also announced that, after leaving Albania, Ftoni is suspected of using forged documents and at least two false identities to illegally enter the US territory. He is also suspected of using another false identity, obtained from a Central American country.
