The Attorney General\u2019s Office revealed that one of the 16 people convicted of the massacre of six suspected drug traffickers in Paya-Bani, which happened in Ojo de Agua on 4 August 2008, was freed from jail in the last days of December 2017. The man freed was former second lieutenant in the Dominican Armada, Andr\u00e9s Tapia Balbuena, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail. 16 persons out of 22 charged were convicted in the Paya murder case with sentences of 10, 20 and 30 years handed down by a National District court.<\/p>\n
It is now known that Tapia Balbuena still had around 8 months to go before completing half of his sentence, when he would be eligible for conditional release. He is the first of the Paya case to be freed.<\/p>\n
The Paya case involved the murder of seven Colombians by a group of Dominican military and civilians, who were attempting to take 1,300 kilos of cocaine from them. The drugs were never found.<\/p>\n
The investigation involved the highest members of the investigative branches of the National Police and other intelligence agencies following the murder of the seven Colombians: Dar\u00edo Jos\u00e9 Atencio (El Jefe and\/or El Don and\/or Ca\u00f1arete), Eduardo Fabio de Le\u00f3n Perozo (Negro Bollo and\/or El Gordo), Jes\u00fas del R\u00edo Hans(Blanquito), Oscar Dar\u00edo Naranjo Mej\u00eda (Fierrito), Antonio Zuluaga Mustiola or Cerino Enrique and Mar\u00edn Guti\u00e9rrez, Apolinar Altamirano Cu\u00e9llar.<\/p>\n
Those convicted to 30 years in jail were Luis Lara and Jos\u00e9 Luis Mont\u00e1s (El Duro Motors), who died in jail, both named as the heads of the gang which killed the Colombians. Also sentenced to 30 years were ex marines Edward Mayobanex Rodr\u00edguez Montero (Comando), Miguel Pe\u00f1a Figuereo (Pe\u00f1ita), Ricardo Guzm\u00e1n P\u00e9rez (El Tuerto), Jorge Luis Chalas and Antonio Roche Pineda.<\/p>\n
Those sentenced to 20 years were Dennys Jairo Rodr\u00edguez P\u00e9rez, Yaneuris Manuel Calvo Tejeda, Andr\u00e9s Tapia Balbuena and the only survivor of the shooting, Or\u00edn Clinton G\u00f3mez. Those sentenced to 10 years were Jes\u00fas S\u00e1nchez Pi\u00f1a and Scarlet Aristy Rosa (the only woman involved in the case). A three-year sentence was given to Augusto Alberto Danneris And\u00fajar; and five years to Marcos Fajardo and Andr\u00e9s Berroa Mercedes (Capi).<\/p>\n
There is speculation that the release of Andr\u00e9s Tapia Balbuena marks the beginning of the release from prison for the rest of the defendants in the case.<\/p>\n