Two Puerto Rican public works officials sentenced for accepting bribes

Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Two former public works directors in Puerto Rico have been sentenced for accepting bribes, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Ramon Conde-Melendez, 56, who was the director of public works for the municipality of Guyana between 2013 and 2022, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery in May, and was sentenced to two years in prison this week.

"Conde-Melendez agreed to receive and received cash payments from an individual (individual A) in exchange for certifying that the asphalt and paving company (Company A) completed asphalt projects in the municipality," reads a press release from the Department of Justice.

Court documents show that in 2019 and 2021 Conde-Melendez received a $1 kickback payment per square meter of asphalt removed by Company A, adding up to a total of $15,000.

Pedro Marrero-Mirada, 54, who was the director of public works in the municipality of Cataño from 2017 through 2021, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery in June and was sentenced to two years and six months in prison this week.

"Marrero-Miranda agreed to receive and received cash payments from Individual A and another individual (Individual B) in exchange for the distribution of asphalt removal projects by the municipality of Cataño to Company A," the press release said.

Court documents show that in 2019, 2020 and 2021 Marrero-Miranda received a $1 kickback payment for each square meter of asphalt removed by Company A in Cataño, adding up to a total of over $40,000.

The cases were investigated by the FBI's San Juan field office as part of "the Justice Department's ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico."