Police Officer Arrested For Migrant Smuggling

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Puerto Rico

United States Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin authorized a criminal
complaint charging San Juan Municipal police officer Luz Zoraida Rojas-
Delgado with one count of human smuggling, announced United States

Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. Immigration and Customs Enfor-

cement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) is in charge of the 

investigation.

According to the information contained in the affidavit submitted in support 

of the criminal complaint, on August 24, 2015, Rojas-Delgado established 

communication with a Source of Information requesting assistance  to smu-

ggle a friend from Antigua to Puerto Rico. Rojas-Delgado had previously 

engaged in communications with other people in an attempt to make a deal 

for the venture but did not agree with the price of $3,000 established by the 

alleged smuggler.

The investigation conducted by the ICE-HSI revealed that on August 25,
2015, Rojas-Delgado agreed with an undercover agent, who she believed 

was a smuggler, to bring her Dominican friend from Antigua for $2,800. 

On August 28, 2015, the defendant met with the undercover agent and af-

ter paying $1,800 for the smuggling, she was arrested.

The investigation also revealed that Rojas-Delgado stated that she was wor-
king on building a case against transporters to later turn it over to pertinent 

agencies. HSI special agents were able to confirm with the San Juan Muni-

cipal Police that Rojas-Delgado was not working on any authorized opera-

tion at the time of her arrest.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Erbe.
If convicted defendant faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A cri-
minal complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defen-
dant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 2, 2015

CARRAIZO RATIONING COULD END SOON

After several days of moderate to heavy rain, first from Tropical Storm
Erika, and then from a tropical wave which affected the island yesterday,
water levels at Carraízo and La Plata reservoirs have seen significant gains.
Carraízo has gone up by 20 centimeters overnight, with today's level stand-
ing at 37.17 meters. AAA/PRASA, Puerto Rico's water utility, has indicated
that if Carraízo's  level reaches 41 meters, water rationing for its area would
likely end. La Plata, however, would need to reach 51 meters to get to its op-
timal level; it currently sits at  36.65 meters. Yesterday's tropical wave left
up to 4 inches of rain on parts of Puerto Rico.

PRASA DEBT PAYMENT EXTENDED

From The San Juan Daily Star:

La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Víctor Suárez said Banco Popular agreed to ex-
tend to Sept. 15 a $90 million payment owed by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct
and Sewer Authority (PRASA) that was due Monday. However, he could
not say when PRASA will go to the market with a $750 million bond issue
it will use in part to pay the line of credit with Banco Popular. “When con-
ditions are ripe, we will go,” he said. STAR sources, however, say that Bank
of America Merrill Lynch will probably cancel the bond issue altogether.
Meanwhile, Suárez refused to reveal whether multinational companies will
assume a greater burden as part of the five-year fiscal adjustment plan, whose
presentation was pushed back to Sept. 8.

FL SENATOR MARCO RUBIO TO VISIT PR

From Caribbean Business:

Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Puerto Rico
this week, his staff said Tuesday. Spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas told The
Associated Press that the Florida senator will meet with supporters on Friday
in San Juan. Rubio's one-day visit will coincide with that of Democrat Hillary
Clinton.  He is scheduled to attend a fundraiser before the rally.

TRUMP GOLF COURSE TO BE AUCTIONED

From News Is My Business:

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Enrique S. Lamoutte-Inclan signed off Monday an 

order approving the auction of the Trump International Golf Course in Río 

Grande. Bidding will start at $2 million in November, with a final sale hear-

ing slated for December, court documents showed. The property, also known 

as Coco Beach Golf & Country Club, filed for Chapter bankruptcy protection 

in July, citing $78 million in liabilities and $9.2 million in assets.

COP ARRESTED FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING

From Fox News Latino:

An officer of the San Juan Municipal Police was arrested by U.S. federal
authorities on charges of human trafficking for her attempt to bring a Do-
minican citizen from the island of Antigua into Puerto Rican territory ille-
gally. The U.S. attorney in San Juan, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez, said Tues-
day in a statement that police officer Luz Zoraida Rojas was arrested on
Aug. 28 after paying $1,000 to an undercover cop - who pretended to be
an immigration official - for trying to introduce a Dominican male from
Antigua into Puerto Rico.