U.S. also charges Congressman Gutierrez Diaz’s brother with drug trafficking

The federal indictment also includes another pair of Dominican brothers.

In addition to accusing Congressman Miguel Andrés Gutiérrez Díaz (a) Mickey of belonging to a transnational drug trafficking network, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Florida is also charging his brother Miguel Emilio Gutiérrez Díaz (a) El Alemán, and Dominican brothers Endy de Jesús Núñez Mármol (a) El Fuerte and Danny Núñez Mármol with the same charges.

On Monday night, federal agents arrested the legislator upon his arrival at the Miami airport on a flight from the Dominican Republic. However, it has not been reported whether the other three defendants are also in custody.

In the federal indictment obtained by Diario Libre, the four are charged with the crimes of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, knowing that it would be imported into the United States, conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, and conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. The maximum penalty for the offenses is life imprisonment.

According to the formal indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Miami on 11 March 2021, from approximately 2014 to 2017, Congressman Gutierrez Diaz, of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), was part of a transnational drug trafficking network that operated in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and the United States.

Yesterday, the 58-year-old legislator appeared before Judge Alicia Otazo Reyes in Miami. He was detained until next Friday when he will have a PTD (pre-trial detention without bail) hearing.

Prosecutor Richard Getchell plans to request detention without bail before trial, based on the risk of flight and danger to the community, as reported to Diario Libre from the South Florida prosecutor’s office.

The official document states the purpose of the confiscation in the United States of a particular property in which the defendants have an interest.

In the affidavit of assets that the congressman presented to the Chamber of Accounts after becoming a legislator, he cited a residence in the United States valued at US$1,208,400, property of MAGD Corp, a company of which he is president, shareholder, and in charge.

The same document states that his brother Miguel Emilio (48 years old) is manager, shareholder, and general manager of Inmobiliaria La Hacienda.