Accused cops a plea in biggest Dominican drug bust

Big money get you in Big trouble at times,
SANTO DOMINGO.- New York City South District federal prosecutors and defense lawyers for Lidio Arturo Nin Terrero presented to judge Kimba Wood the results of a plea bargaining in the case of former Dominican Army captain Quirino Paulino, the biggest in Dominican history.

Newspaper Diario Libre said Nin, who appeared in court May 28, was the warden in the maximum security jail at Azua (south) when U.S. (DEA) and Dominican (DNCD) narcotics agents arrested him December, 2004, together with the driver Tirso Cuevas, in a truck carrying 1,380 kilos of cocaine. A former Dominican Police colonel, he then said he was only hitching a ride and didn’t know what the truck’s load was, faces 40 years in prison, 5 of which are mandatory, and a US$2 million fine, or twice the amount made in drug trafficking.

Cuevas, father of 10 children, was 8th on a list of 17 extradited to the U.S. in the case, on charges of drug trafficking.

Conspiracy to kill Nin?

Diario Libre says while Nin was being held, then DNCD president Iván Peña Castillo said it was uncovered that Christian de Jesus Gatón Ramos (Christian Gatón), allegedly part of a U.S.-based gangster network which collected drug trafficking debts, and the Mexican Johan Moreno, were contracted to assassinate Nin while he was being held in Najayo, although the official never revealed the results of the investigation to the press.

Also being held in New York in connection with the 1,387 kilos of cocaine are Luis Rodriguez Cordero (Eduardito) and Bladimir Garcia Jiménez.

Nin admitted he had signed and perfectly understood the "waiver" document before judge Wood, who read to the defendant the penalties he faces.