DOMINICAN FUGITIVE WAIVES EXTRADITION RIGHTS,

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002752 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC),L/LEI (TAYLOR AND FUENTES) DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA (MAZUREK, ORJALES, SOKOHL) US MARSHAL SERVICE PLEASE PASS TO CHRIS DUDLEY DEA FOR OF,OFI,DO,DCO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CJAN KCRM SNAR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN FUGITIVE WAIVES EXTRADITION RIGHTS, RETURNS TO U.S. REF: A. 02 STATE 41777 ¶B. 03 STATE 220136 ¶C. 04 STATE 132628 ¶D. 04 SANTO DOMINGO 0744 ¶1. (U) On May 14, 2005, fugitive Ramon Cabral Veras was returned to the United States' territory of Puerto Rico in the company of a U.S. Marshal. Cabral Veras is wanted by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to stand trial on charges of embezzlement. He is charged in three separate complaints of embezzlement at the level of aggravated felony because the monies embezzled or illegally misappropriated were public funds belonging to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ref a and c. ¶2. (SBU) The USG originally requested the extradition of Cabral Veras in March 2002. In Spring 2003, multiple sources informed Embassy officers that Cabral Veras had been arrested by Dominican authorities and subsequently released. The USG never received formal notification of the arrest or of the release, ref b and d. In June 2004, the USG made a second formal request for the extradition of Cabral Veras, ref c. Cabral Veras remained free until his arrest by the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) on May 12. ¶3. (SBU) Cabral Veras was interrogated by Dominican Assistant Attorney General Gisela Cueto on the morning of May 13, 2005. The Dominican Asst. AG informed the Embassy immediately that Cabral Veras wished to waive his rights to an extradition hearing in front of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court, and return voluntarily to Puerto Rico as quickly as possible so that he could begin plea negotiations with the Puerto Rican authorities. Cabral Veras executed a witnessed, notarized affidavit indicating his desire to return voluntarily to Puerto Rico. ¶4. (U) The return of Cabral Veras marks the 24th fugitive subject to extradition who as been returned to the United States during the second administration of President Leonel Fernandez. He is the 11th fugitive returned from the Dominican Republic to the United States in 2005. HERTELL