Four Police Officers Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute Cocaine

SAN JUAN, PR—On February 11, 2009, a grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging three (3) Police of Puerto Rico (POPR) officers with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and a fourth officer with misprison of felony, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Special Investigations Bureau of Puerto Rico's Department of Justice. The defendants were arrested yesterday without incident.

The indictment alleges that on or about April 4, 2007, the defendants José García-García, Jacqueline Torres-Cruz and Andrés Rivera-Santos conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The fourth defendant, Anthony Torres-Suliveras is charged on the second count with misprison of felony. Allegedly the defendant had knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, concealed and did not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States.

“It is unconscionable that those called upon to protect the public and enforce the law, should violate their oath of office and abuse their position to commit a crime. People need to have confidence in our law enforcement agencies. The US Attorney’s Office will continue prosecuting these crimes to the full extent of the law, ” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.

The FBI San Juan Division's Special Agent-in-Charge Luis S. Fraticelli said that his office will continue to investigate corruption at all levels of the government as it has done in the past.

If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of ten (10) years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, with fines of up to $4 million.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.