SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Right now, Radamés Benítez-Cardona, former assistant to the previous mayor of Trujillo Alto, was sentenced by United States District Courtroom Choose Pedro A. Delgado-Hernández to serve 30 months in jail, introduced United States Lawyer W. Stephen Muldrow. Benítez-Cardona pleaded responsible on November 30, 2022, and admitted to receiving month-to-month bribe funds from a municipal waste administration contractor, together with separate $17,250 money funds on Could 22, 2021, June 12, 2021, and July 25, 2021.
“The residents of Trujillo Alto entrusted the defendant with serving their communities with honesty and integrity — as an alternative he participated in an unlawful scheme and used his place for private acquire,” mentioned United States Lawyer Muldrow. “Public officers who fail to faithfully discharge the duties of their workplace, and those that conspire with them, can be investigated, prosecuted, and punished for his or her actions.”
In response to courtroom paperwork, Radamés Benítez-Cardona, enriched himself by accepting bribes and kickbacks in trade for securing municipal contracts for a waste administration contractor as alternatives arose. The scheme required Particular person A to pay a $0.75 per home month-to-month kickback to defendant Benítez-Cardona in reference to Trujillo Alto municipal contract 2018-000004 awarded to Firm A for trash pick-up. The month-to-month kickback amounted to roughly $17,250 for 23,000 homes. As well as, Benítez-Cardona agreed to provide a portion of the kickback cash to José Luis Cruz-Cruz, the mayor of Trujillo Alto. Cruz-Cruz was sentenced on January 11, 2023, to 24 months in jail for his participation within the bribery scheme.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI’s San Juan Discipline Workplace. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Lawyer Scott H. Anderson of the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Puerto Rico and Trial Lawyer Nicholas W. Cannon of the Prison Division’s Public Integrity Part.
These instances are a part of the Justice Division’s ongoing efforts to fight public corruption by municipal officers in Puerto Rico. Along with the above issues, the Public Integrity Part and the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Puerto Rico have just lately obtained convictions in opposition to different former public officers and contractors within the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes associated to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); and United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM) ; United States v. Mario Villegas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Pedro Miranda-Marrero, 22-251 (RAM); United States v. Jose Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC); and United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); United States v. Jose Bou-Santiago, 22-379 (ADC).
Moreover, the division just lately obtained indictments charging a number of former officers with bribery associated to municipal contracts, and people instances are nonetheless pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed harmless till confirmed responsible past an affordable doubt in a courtroom of legislation.
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