PR Superior Court Judge Sentenced To 10 Years For Accepting Bribes

Press Release / June 11, 2015

US Attorney's Office / District of Puerto Rico




A Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge was sentenced today to 10 years in prison
today after being convicted earlier this year of accepting bribes to acquit a bu-
sinessman of vehicular homicide charges.  Assistant Attorney General Leslie
R.Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney
Rosa Emilia RodríguezVélez of the District of Puerto Rico made the announ-
cement.

In January, a federal jury convicted Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernandez, 63,
of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery
and receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.
 Chief U.S. District Judge Aida M. Delgado of the District of Puerto Rico im-
posed the sentence.

Acevedo-Hernandez presided over the trial of Lutgardo Acevedo-Lopez, 39,
a certified public accountant in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.  Acevedo-Lopez was
charged with criminal vehicular homicide based on his role in a June 2012
collision involving the vehicle he was driving and another car, which resulted
in the death of the other driver.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Acevedo-Lopez used an interme-
diary to bribe Acevedo-Hernandez by paying taxes owed by Acevedo-Hernan-
dez; paying for the construction of a garage for Acevedo-Hernandez's home;
and providing Acevedo-Hernandez with a motorcycle, clothing and accesso-
ries, including cuff links and a watch.  In exchange, Acevedo-Hernandez ac-
quitted Acevedo-Lopez of all charges.

In August 2014, Acevedo-Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fe-
deral programs bribery and to paying a bribe to an agent of an organization
receiving federal funds.  Acevedo-Lopez has not yet been sentenced.


The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division.  The case was
prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Peter Mason and Menaka Kalaskar of the Cri-
minal Division’s Public Integrity Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney
Timothy Henwood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Capó of the District of
Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico News Digest For January 22, 2015

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE CONVICTED BY FEDS

From the FBI:

A current Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge was convicted
yesterday by a federal jury in Puerto Rico of accepting bribes
to acquit a businessman of vehicular homicide charges.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice
Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia
Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico and Special
Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Division
made the announcement.

Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernandez,
62, was convicted late yesterday following a one-week trial of
conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and receipt of
a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2015, before Chief U.S.
District Judge Aida Delgado-Colon of the District of Puerto
Rico.

According to evidence at trial, Acevedo-Hernandez presided over
a case involving Lutgardo Acevedo-Lopez, 39, a certified public
accountant in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. On June 30, 2012, a car
driven by Acevedo-Lopez collided with another car, resulting
in the death of the other car’s driver. Acevedo-Lopez was charged
with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the incident.
Acevedo-Hernandez, a supervisory superior court judge in the
Aguadilla judicial region of Puerto Rico, acquitted Acevedo-Lopez
of all charges.

DTOP GRANTS CONTRACT TO PDP DONOR

El Nuevo Dia has reported that the company that was recently
granted a contract for facilities to be used by the Department
of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) in Carolina,
Educon Management, is owned by a group that includes promi-
nent donor to the Popular Democratic Party Agustín Crespo
Rivera. Crespo Rivera's father Johnny has also been a  long-
time PDP donor. Governor Padilla's administration has denied
any conflict of interest, and has stated that the contract was
vetted by the courts and will save taxpayers money.

COP MASTURBATION PICS BEING INVESTIGATED

El Vocero reports that Police Superintendent José Luis
Caldero López has said that he will suspend an unidentified
female police officer that has allegedly appeared in pictures
seemingly masturbating with a police baton while wearing a
Police shirt. The pictures -- in which the woman's face
is digitally altered -- have made the rounds of social
media, and it has been said that the photos were taken
in a Carolina-area Police station.

ENDANGERED PUERTO RICAN PARROTS RELEASED

From  The Fresno Bee:

A group of scientists opened a cage at dawn on Wednesday and
reintroduced 15 endangered Puerto Rican parrots into the wild as
part of a conservation program. The birds flew away without
hesitation as they disappeared into a forest near Puerto Rico's
north coast, according to Natural Resources Secretary Carmen
Guerrero.

It was the ninth release at the Rio Abajo Nature Preserve since
2006. Another 204 parrots remain at the preserve, and an estimated
57 to 108 parrots are believed to live in the wild nearby, she
said.