A former police officer in Puerto Rico is going down for 40 years after getting caught providing security for a string of drug deals.
Javier A. Diaz Castro, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi for the District of Puerto Rico, bringing an end to a case that saw Castro’s 10-year tenure on the force come crashing down.
Castro was convicted on Dec. 12, 2011, of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, two counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction.
The FBI’s undercover operation known as Guard Shack caught Castro and 88 other law enforcement officers in Puerto Rico red-handed, with Castro and 44 other individuals facing charges. To date, 128 of the charged defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial, including Castro.
According to evidence presented in court, Castro provided security for what he believed were a series of illegal drug deals, but which in fact were part of the undercover FBI operation. Diaz was brought into the scheme by another police officer of Puerto Rico, and in return for the security he provided, Castro received cash payments of $2,000 per transaction.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Barak Cohen of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, with the FBI leading the investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico participating in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
In a move that will no doubt be seen as a major blow to corruption within the Puerto Rico police force, Castro’s 40-year sentence brings the total number of convictions in the Guard Shack operation to 128, with many more expected to follow in the coming months.
As the Grimy Times has been reporting, corruption within law enforcement agencies has become a major concern in recent years, with cases like Castro’s serving as a stark reminder of the dangers of police corruption and the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions.