The preventive custody hearing against an Air Force recruit accused of raping a Haitian minor was postponed for Friday, 26 April 2024 in La Altagracia. The soldier is identified as Paulino de la Cruz, and he was one of 15 soldiers who accompanied immigration inspectors searching for undocumented immigrants in the community of Verón, where migrants mostly from Haiti have settled.
The hearing was postponed to give time for an interview with the minor on Wednesday, 24 April.
According to the Public Ministry file, De la Cruz entered the victim’s residence on 5 April 2024 and took advantage of the fact that the 14-year old was alone at home to commit the act.
The investigation of the incident is headed by prosecutors Hendrich Ramírez, Silveria Poueriet, Ronny Mercedes and Rocío García, who are following up on a complaint made by the mother of the minor. De la Cruz would be tried for violation of the articles 330 and 331 of the Dominican Penal Code on sexual rape.
Paulino De la Cruz is an agent of the Dominican Air Force (FARD), assigned to the Migration Agency (DGM).
The investigation began after the mother of the victim filed the complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office for Victims of Gender, Domestic Violence and Sexual Crimes.
Diario Libre shared details in the file on the first interviews with the victim and her mother.
The soldier could be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in jail.
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El Dia
Diario Libre
22 April 2024