Santo Domingo.- Miguel Gutiérrez, a former representative of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) in the Dominican Republic, has changed his plea to guilty in a drug trafficking and money laundering case. Initially pleading not guilty in May 2021 following his arrest in Miami, United States, Gutiérrez later resigned from his deputy position after more than two years in prison.
On December 28, over three years after his legal troubles began, Gutiérrez admitted guilt to conspiring to distribute cocaine and acknowledged that the substance would be imported into the United States. He also agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering from 2014 to 2020 in the Dominican Republic, Miami-Dade County, and other locations.
The plea agreement, accessed by the reporting newspaper, outlines potential sentences for Gutiérrez. For the drug trafficking charge, he could face life imprisonment, a minimum of 10 years in prison, followed by at least five years of probation, and a fine of up to 10 million dollars. The money laundering charge could result in up to 20 years in prison, a supervised release period of up to three years, and a fine of $500,000 or double the value of the laundered assets, whichever is higher.
Gutiérrez Díaz, who leads at least three companies in Santiago, was a popular PRM legislator with a strong voter base in the last elections. Known as a native of Gurabo, Santiago, he was seen as a prosperous businessman in real estate and construction. His political career was relatively short, having declared his intention to enter politics in 2018 and successfully running for deputy in 2019.
This case highlights the serious nature of drug trafficking and money laundering crimes and their far-reaching consequences, even for public figures and elected officials. Gutiérrez’s guilty plea marks a significant development in this high-profile case, underscoring the importance of legal accountability and the rule of law.