If you shipped without confirming payment, all I can say is lesson learned. Unless it was worth a whole, whole lot of money, you will more than likely burn through just as much using local lawyers. Just remember, most Dominican lawyers are all of the fantasy that Americans all live in NY and are accustomed to paying US500 an hour for marginal if not incompetent service.
If you provide more details maybe we can be of more help. In the event you speak Spanish well I can put you in touch with reasonable lawyers who will tell you like it is and who will charge a tenth of the price of the English speaking ones with no doubt similar results - of course if bribes are required (standard practice here) it may be more.