THREE DOMINICANS WAIVE EXTRADITION RIGHTS, RETURN

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 003230 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC) AND L/LEI (TAYLOR, FUENTES AND MUELLER) DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA (ORJALES) US MARSHAL SERVICE PLEASE PASS TO CHRIS DUDLEY DEA FOR OF, OFI, DO AND DCO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CJAN CVIS SNAR DR SUBJECT: THREE DOMINICANS WAIVE EXTRADITION RIGHTS, RETURN TO THE U.S. REF: A. STATE 91579 ¶B. STATE 91598 ¶C. STATE 95607 ¶1. (U) On June 16, 2005, three fugitives were returned to the United States in the company of U.S. Marshals. Jose Abel Burdiez de Leon is wanted to stand trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on conspiracy to launder money derived from unlawful activity (narcotics trafficking) charges, ref A; Richard Mejia Pena is wanted in the same jurisdiction on the same charges, ref B; and Carlos Villavizar Guzman is wanted to stand trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on federal narcotics charges, ref C. ¶2. (U) Burdiez de Leon and Villavizar Guzman were arrested by the Dominican National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) on arrest warrants issued pursuant to USG requests for extradition. Mejia Pena surrendered voluntarily to DNCD agents upon learning of the arrest warrant issued against him. All three fugitives waived their rights to extradition hearings in front of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court and executed witnessed, notarized affidavits indicating their desire to return voluntarily to the United States. ¶3. (U) The return of these three men mark the 28th through 31st fugitives subject to extradition who have been returned to the United States during the second administration of President Leonel Fernandez. They are the 15th - 17th fugitives returned from the Dominican Republic to the United States in 2005. Hertell