N Digital publishes a list of legislators that have cases pending in the judiciary. The Dominican Constitution (Articles 86 and 87) establishes that that while the legislative session is open, no legislator can be arrested, unless he/she is caught in a flagrant crime.
Several cases of corruption, drug trafficking and money laundering involving legislators are under investigation by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca). Legislators of different political parties are involved.
Operation Falcón, launched by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the laundering of assets resulting from drug trafficking, involves deputies Faustina Guerrero Cabrera, of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), and Héctor Darío Feliz Feliz, of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Guerrero Cabrera recently had her home raided. She is the wife of Juan Maldonado, former director of Comunidad Digna, who was in prison for his involvement in the case until last week, when he was placed on an electronic bracelet, with an impediment to leave the country.
The legislator Rosa María Pilarte, also of the PRM, also has a case pending. She is tied to her husband, Miguel Arturo López Florencio, popularly known as Micky López, who is accused as the leader of a major money laundering and drug trafficking network. López was arrested upon arriving to Miami, Florida, where he is being tried.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested that a special judge be appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice to hear the case of the deputies.
N Digital reports that in October 2022, the judges of the Supreme Court of Justice are expected to decide on the ruling of the trial on the merits of another case, that of the PRM deputy for Santiago, Gregorio Dominguez. Dominguez is accused of carrying out irregular evictions on a property in Punta Rucia, Puerto Plata in May 2020. In its ruling, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the judges to declare the legislator guilty and that he be sentenced to five years in prison to be served in Santiago’s Rafey-Hombres Model Prison.
Another legislator under investigation is Sadoky Duarte, PRM deputy for the province of Sanchez Ramirez. Duarte is accused of face slapping a National Police female private, identified as Disleidy Heredia, in an incident in December 2020.
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N Digital
4 October 2022