SANTO DOMINGO .– The First Chamber of the Criminal Court of the judicial district of Santo Domingo sentenced a businessman to two years in prison and the payment of more than RD$47 million for illegally stealing electricity to the detriment of the Eastern Electricity Distribution Company (Edeeste, S.A.) and the Dominican State.
Javier Francisco Álvarez Valencia was sentenced to two years in prison, in the form of a suspended sentence under the conditions established by the sentence execution judge, who may order that the defendant serve the sentence at the Najayo Hombres Correction Center (CCR) in the event of non-compliance with the established rules.
The ruling, issued by Judge Dolores Galay de la Cruz, also ordered Álvarez Valencia to pay a total amount of RD$47,747,272.88 for consumed and unbilled energy, as well as the payment of an indemnity of RD$200,000 for damages caused, in addition to a fine of 10 minimum wages.
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In the process, the Public Prosecutor’s Office demonstrated that Álvarez Valencia, in his capacity as owner and beneficiary of the business Hielo El Grande, located at 31 Emma Balaguer Avenue, in the El Cacique II sector, Santo Domingo Norte municipality, Santo Domingo province, manipulated the electricity supply, establishing a direct connection to 7.2 KV, with two transformers, one of 100 KVA and one of 75 KVA, outside the meter
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Through this illicit act, the defendant illegally siphoned energy, with a monetary value amounting to RD$47,747,272.88, which by court order must be paid, an amount that was established in the appraisal carried out by the distributor and reviewed and approved by the Superintendency of Electricity (SIE).
During the hearing, the prosecuting body demonstrated that the actions committed by the defendant constitute a violation of the provisions of articles 124-2, 125-1, and 125-3 of the General Electricity Law No. 125-01, classified as Attack against the Electrical System and Electricity Fraud, to the detriment of the victim Edeeste, S.A., and the Dominican State.
Court Prosecutor José Aníbal Carela, head of the PGASE, indicated that the Public Ministry is committed to the prosecution of crimes typified by legislation in the energy sector and to the protection of the interests of Dominican society.
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“Electricity fraud leads to the deterioration of the electrical system and therefore harms society,” pointed out Carela, who called on the population to report electricity fraud to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“At PGASE, we are here to safeguard the interests of the citizen, always adhering to the laws and the constitution that govern our country,” specified Carela.
