{"id":5719,"date":"2014-08-25T12:42:30","date_gmt":"2014-08-25T19:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=5719"},"modified":"2014-08-25T12:42:30","modified_gmt":"2014-08-25T19:42:30","slug":"sixteen-puerto-rican-cops-plead-guilty-operating-criminal-organization-police-department","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=5719","title":{"rendered":"Sixteen Former Puerto Rico Cops Plead Guilty to Operating a Criminal Organization from the Police Department"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Department<\/a>PUERTO RICO<\/strong> — Sixteen former Puerto Rico police officers have pleaded guilty for their roles in a criminal organization run out of the police department, \u00a0the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday<\/p>\n

Authorities said the officers used their affiliation with law enforcement to commit robbery and extortion, to manipulate court records in exchange for bribes, and to sell illegal narcotics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese 16 police officers were charged with fighting crime, protecting lives and property, and improving the quality of life in Puerto Rico,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell.<\/p>\n

Adding, \u201cInstead, they used their badges and guns to do the opposite, committing crimes, endangering lives, and stealing property under the veil of police authority. This prosecution demonstrates the Justice Department\u2019s commitment to holding all criminals accountable \u2013 including those who wear a badge. We will use every tool at our disposal, including the RICO laws, to rid our communities of corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FBI investigated this case<\/p>\n

According to court documents, over the course of the conspiracy, the officers worked together to conduct traffic stops and enter the homes of suspected criminals to steal money, property and drugs for their own personal enrichment.<\/p>\n

They planted evidence to make false arrests, and then extorted money from their victims in exchange for their release from custody.<\/p>\n

Additionally, in exchange for bribe payments, the officers gave false testimony, manipulated court records and failed to appear in court when required so that criminal cases would be wrongfully dismissed. The officers also sold and distributed wholesale quantities of narcotics.<\/p>\n

In April 2012, for example, defendants \u00a0Osvaldo Vazquez-Ruiz, 38, and \u00a0Orlando Sierra-Pereira, 37, conducted a traffic stop in their capacity as police officers and stole approximately $22,000 they believed to be illegal drug proceeds. Vazquez-Ruiz later attempted to extort approximately $8,000 from an individual believed to be a drug dealer\u2019s accomplice in exchange for promising to release a prisoner.<\/p>\n

In November 2012, defendants Orlando Sierra-Pereira, 37, Danny Nieves-Rivera, 35, \u00a0Roberto Ortiz-Cintron, 35, and Christian Valles-Collazo, 28, illegally entered an apartment and stole approximately $30,000, which they believed were illegal lottery proceeds.<\/p>\n

The defendants frequently shared with one another the proceeds they illegally obtained, and used their power, authority and official positions as police officers to promote and protect their illegal activity.<\/p>\n

Among other things, officials said the defendants used POPR firearms, badges, patrol cars, tools, uniforms and other equipment to commit the crimes, and then concealed their illegal activity with fraudulently obtained court documents and falsified POPR paperwork that made it appear they were engaged in legitimate police work.<\/p>\n

Sentencing hearings are scheduled for December 2014.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PUERTO RICO — Sixteen former Puerto Rico police officers have pleaded guilty for their roles in a criminal organization run out of the police department, \u00a0the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday Authorities…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[511,380,822],"class_list":["post-5719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-main-slider","tag-criminal-organization","tag-guilty","tag-puerto-rico-police-officers"],"yoast_head":"\nSixteen Former Puerto Rico Cops Plead Guilty to Operating a Criminal Organization from the Police Department<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"PUERTO RICO -- Sixteen former Puerto Rico police officers have pleaded guilty for their roles in a criminal organization run out of the police department,\" \/>\n<meta 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