Contractor’s Defense to Inform Judge of Negotiations with Prosecutors
Luis Enrique Rodríguez Sánchez, a contractor facing criminal charges for violations of the Clean Water Law and the Rivers and Ports Law, will update Judge Camille Vélez Rivé on the status of negotiations with the federal prosecutor’s office tomorrow. Rodríguez Sánchez was arrested on May 11 by FBI agents for using excavation machinery and pouring fill into the wetlands and waters of the Reserve area National Estuarine Research of Jobos Bay. The hearing will take place in the Federal Court of Hato Rey and was originally scheduled for October 23.
The defense requested a postponement as the prosecution was close to presenting an offer to change the plea to one of guilt and a lesser sentence. Rodríguez Sánchez’s lawyer, José Novas Debién, stated that both parties understand that a postponement will provide the necessary time to advance negotiations. All of the evidence has already been delivered to the defense as part of the evidence discovery process in the case.
In the case of the co-defendant, Pedro Luis Bones Torres, his next commitment in federal court is scheduled for December 11. His attorney informed the court that she was in the process of evaluating the evidence and considering the possibility of a guilty plea. Both Bones Torres and Rodríguez Sánchez allegedly participated in the construction of buildings within navigable waters without authorization from the Secretary of the United States Army, which constitutes a violation of the Rivers and Ports Law.