A dossier which involves a Spanish drug trafficker in the court in Higüey disappears
The case involves the seizure of 20 property assets that are subject to forfeiture
Federico Méndez
SANTO DOMINGO. The loss of a dossier which involves Spaniard Ricardo Condé Diez, who was just convicted in his country and sentenced to seven years in prison for drug trafficking, marks a turbulent accusation in Higüey against five alleged members of a network headed by the accused, and in which three judges have been excused and who have in their possession the retraction of the extinction of the penal action.
The story is told in a letter addressed to the Supreme Court of Justice by the director of the Specialized Prosecutor for Asset Laundering, German Miranda Villalona, who requested an investigation of this case.
The dossier of the Spaniard, who fled the country after 20 property assets, such as building lots, luxurious villas, commercial plazas, residential areas, apartments and an airplane were seized, is facing charges on money laundering in the Dominican Republic.
The Justice Department explains that the judge in charge of the case, Vanessa Contreras, had to set the continuation of the hearing for 7 May, "because the case file or dossier was lost."
They say that the magistrate stated that she was going to proceed to prepare a report regarding the case.
The 20 property assets seized from the fugitive are in the tourist area of Uvero Alto, located in the municipality of Higüey, among which are several luxurious buildings.
Miranda Villalona stressed that regarding these important seizures the Justice Department is requesting confiscation in favor of the Dominican state, so that the case must be investigated.
He pointed out that he received a request for judicial cooperation from the penal authorities from the Kingdom of Spain in 2009 and as a result of this, properties in the Dominican Republic were affected as part of the accusation of money laundering against the person known as Ruben Santos Ortega, a Venezuelan national.
He stressed that later on, this person was identified as Ricardo Diez Condé, a Spanish citizen.
He indicated that all the acts referring to the defendant as well as others related to the framework of companies Incorporated in Panama and in the British Virgin Islands, were sent to these authorities.
Miranda Villalona says that as a result of this cooperative loan, Dominicans who presumably were the support branch in the country of Ramos Ortega or Diez Condé were also investigated, and they managed to hide assets for him and his criminal organization by placing them in their names and in their family's names.
He suggested that the Justice Department should proceed to present their charges before the judge of Instruction of La Altagracia against Manuel Merilio Quezada Gomez, Peggy Josefina Quiñones Irrizarry, Joaquin Eugenio Contreras Hixon, Maria Teresa Calle Rueda and Sonia Mercado.
The first hearing was held on 20 April 2012 and the accused were decreed by resolution of judge Yohan Carlos Morales Peguero to be in contempt of court.
Likewise, later on the decree of contempt was lifted and several hearings were held. On 24 October 2013, defendant Maria Teresi Calle Rueda withdrew, in the middle of a hearing, an abbreviated plea agreement which he had reached with the Justice Department, admitting the crimes.
Miranda Villalona narrates that Judge Morales Peguero declared the criminal action against the defendants to be over, but as he realized that he had made a wrong decision, he issued another resolution annulling that decision.
The letter notes that on 6 August 2014, the Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of San Pedro de Macoris accepted the inhibition of the magistrate, appointing Judge Edwis Rijo Delgado to hear the case, and he set the hearing to deal with the case, but before this could happen he also inhibited himself.
The court accepted the inhibition and put Judge Karuchi Sotero Cabral in charge of the case, who, after several months with the case file presented her own inhibition.
The abstention to participate in the process of the magistrate was accepted and Vanessa Contreras was appointed, and she had set a hearing for 16 April.
The story is told in a letter addressed to the Supreme Court of Justice by the director of the Specialized Prosecutor for Asset Laundering, German Miranda Villalona, who requested an investigation of this case.
The dossier of the Spaniard, who fled the country after 20 property assets, such as building lots, luxurious villas, commercial plazas, residential areas, apartments and an airplane were seized, is facing charges on money laundering in the Dominican Republic.
The Justice Department explains that the judge in charge of the case, Vanessa Contreras, had to set the continuation of the hearing for 7 May, "because the case file or dossier was lost."
They say that the magistrate stated that she was going to proceed to prepare a report regarding the case.
The 20 property assets seized from the fugitive are in the tourist area of Uvero Alto, located in the municipality of Higüey, among which are several luxurious buildings.
Miranda Villalona stressed that regarding these important seizures the Justice Department is requesting confiscation in favor of the Dominican state, so that the case must be investigated.
He pointed out that he received a request for judicial cooperation from the penal authorities from the Kingdom of Spain in 2009 and as a result of this, properties in the Dominican Republic were affected as part of the accusation of money laundering against the person known as Ruben Santos Ortega, a Venezuelan national.
He stressed that later on, this person was identified as Ricardo Diez Condé, a Spanish citizen.
He indicated that all the acts referring to the defendant as well as others related to the framework of companies Incorporated in Panama and in the British Virgin Islands, were sent to these authorities.
Miranda Villalona says that as a result of this cooperative loan, Dominicans who presumably were the support branch in the country of Ramos Ortega or Diez Condé were also investigated, and they managed to hide assets for him and his criminal organization by placing them in their names and in their family's names.
He suggested that the Justice Department should proceed to present their charges before the judge of Instruction of La Altagracia against Manuel Merilio Quezada Gomez, Peggy Josefina Quiñones Irrizarry, Joaquin Eugenio Contreras Hixon, Maria Teresa Calle Rueda and Sonia Mercado.
The first hearing was held on 20 April 2012 and the accused were decreed by resolution of judge Yohan Carlos Morales Peguero to be in contempt of court.
Likewise, later on the decree of contempt was lifted and several hearings were held. On 24 October 2013, defendant Maria Teresi Calle Rueda withdrew, in the middle of a hearing, an abbreviated plea agreement which he had reached with the Justice Department, admitting the crimes.
Miranda Villalona narrates that Judge Morales Peguero declared the criminal action against the defendants to be over, but as he realized that he had made a wrong decision, he issued another resolution annulling that decision.
The letter notes that on 6 August 2014, the Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of San Pedro de Macoris accepted the inhibition of the magistrate, appointing Judge Edwis Rijo Delgado to hear the case, and he set the hearing to deal with the case, but before this could happen he also inhibited himself.
The court accepted the inhibition and put Judge Karuchi Sotero Cabral in charge of the case, who, after several months with the case file presented her own inhibition.
The abstention to participate in the process of the magistrate was accepted and Vanessa Contreras was appointed, and she had set a hearing for 16 April.
Federico Méndez
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