San Juan, Puerto Rico – oscar Santamaría, a businessman convicted of corruption, has petitioned a Federal Court in Puerto Rico for permission to travel outside of the territory after completing his prison sentence.This request comes as Santamaría seeks to reconnect with his family following a period of incarceration and supervised release.
Family Reunion on the Horizon for Former Businessman
Santamaría, recently released from prison, is hoping to spend time with his wife and children in Colorado.
- Oscar Santamaría completed his 30-month prison sentence on Monday, having begun serving it in may 2024.
- He is now under three years of supervised release,and immediately filed a motion to travel to Colorado.
- Federal prosecutors do not oppose the travel request, provided Santamaría adheres to all conditions of his release.
- Santamaría pleaded guilty in 2021 to bribery and kickback conspiracy, cooperating with authorities in multiple investigations.
According to the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons database, Santamaría completed his 30-month sentence on monday, after Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach initially handed down the sentence in March 2024. Though, he had already begun serving a three-year period of conditional freedom as of December 22. The following day, his legal representation filed a motion requesting permission for him to travel to Colorado with his wife and children between january 1 and January 10 for a family reunification trip.
The motion emphasized the hardship of Santamaría’s separation from his family during his incarceration. “The defendant has been separated from his wife and children as his incarceration, and the experience has been very arduous for them,” it stated. “The defendant would like the opportunity to participate in this family reunification journey, the goal of which is to begin to heal the trauma of his separation from his father.”
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has indicated it does not object to the requested travel, contingent upon Santamaría’s full compliance with the conditions set by Pretrial Services and the Court.
A History of Corruption and Cooperation
Santamaría’s case gained notoriety for revealing a network of bribery and kickbacks targeting puerto Rican municipalities. Investigators uncovered a scheme where Santamaría’s company, along with co-conspirators Rodríguez and Villegas, made contributions to political candidates and public officials, ensuring favorable contract outcomes. They agreed to target municipalities where they had established political connections.
Santamaría admitted to initiating a bribery relationship with Luis Arroyo Chiqués while he was mayor of Aguas Buenas, facilitated through his connections with Rodríguez and Villegas. Notably, the then-mayor of Cataño reportedly videotaped some of these illegal interactions, which were later used as evidence by federal authorities. Delgado has cooperated with investigators since 2020.
In May 2021, Santamaría was summoned to his lawyer’s office and confronted with evidence gathered by federal agents, including photos and recordings of his illicit transactions. Given two hours to consider his options, he ultimately pleaded guilty under the advice of his counsel and his wife. This decision led to his cooperation with authorities, including recording cash deliveries to the former mayor of Guaynabo, Ángel Pérez, who was later sentenced to five years in prison.
“I made illegal payments to obtain contracts, to obtain benefits from the municipality of Guaynabo,” Santamaría testified during Pérez’s trial.
