WASHINGTON – In a groundbreaking conviction, former media producer Sixto Jorge Díaz Colón has been found guilty of attempted extortion and obstruction of justice. The 54-year-old from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is accused of seeking $300,000 to silence damaging information about high-ranking officials in the government.
Díaz Colón’s scheme unraveled when he attempted to extort a public official in June 2019, offering to keep quiet about incriminating Telegram chat messages. When confronted by the FBI in July 2019, the defendant deleted messages before surrendering his phone.
The jury convicted Díaz Colón on one count of attempted extortion, one count of interstate extortion, and one count of obstruction of justice. Sentencing is set for May 5, with a maximum penalty of 20 years for the top charges.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, Assistant Director Luis Quesada, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González announced the conviction. The FBI San Juan Field Office conducted the investigation.
The prosecution was led by Trial Attorney Michael N. Lang of the Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myriam Fernández-González, with support from former PIN Trial Attorney James Pearce and Trial Attorney Byron Jones.
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Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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