FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CR

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1998                                                                                                                                       (202) 616-2765

                                                                                                                                                                                   TDD (202) 514-1888




16 CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS PLEAD GUILTY IN PUERTO RICO





	WASHINGTON, D.C. --  A Puerto Rican correctional officer
pleaded guilty today to civil rights violations for assaulting 22
inmates in 1994 and trying to cover it up, the Justice Department
announced.  He is the 14th officer to plead guilty this week to
civil rights violations stemming from the assault.

     Last April 16 officers were indicted for making false
statements to the FBI and a federal grand jury to cover up civil
rights violations. The officers were attempting to cover up their
assault on 22 inmates during a disturbance at the "Las Malvinas"
Annex of the Rio Piedras Correctional Complex in July 1994.

	"Deceit and dishonesty have no place in law enforcement and
the Department of Corrections in Puerto Rico," said Bill Lann
Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.  "We
will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute correctional
officers who use their authority to hurt others intentionally."

     Edwin López-Pabón, who pleaded guilty to witness tampering
this afternoon, is the last of 16 correctional officer to do so. 
Last Monday, Juan Ramos-Velázquez pleaded guilty to the felony of
conspiring to make false statements to FBI agents during their
investigation of the alleged assaults.  Héctor Ortiz-González,
Manuel Colón-Ortiz and Luis Pagán-Conde also entered felony pleas
to tampering with a witness to prevent and hinder the
communication of information to the FBI.

     Last Tuesday, José Ramos-Montañez, Carlos Rosa-Torres, Félix
Meléndez-Benítez, Luis Sánchez-Molina, Freddy Ruiz-Montañez, Luis
Reyes-López, Efraín Ramos-Lebrón, Jesús Echevarría-Rivera and
Ramón de Jesús-Velázquez also pled guilty to witness tampering.

	Two defendants, Emeterio Lebrón-González and Jesús 
Quiles-Maldonado, earlier pleaded guilty to using excessive force
against an inmate.

	Juan Ramos-Velázquez could be sentenced to no more than five
years imprisonment as a result of his guilty plea.  The other
defendants could be sentenced to no more than 10 years
imprisonment.  Sentencing hearings are scheduled for October 23
and October 30, 1998.

	"The protection of the civil rights of our citizens is
fundamental in our system of justice," said Acting U.S. Attorney
Guillermo Gil.  "Our office will vigorously prosecute such
violations."

	"Civil rights belong to all citizens, including prisoners
within penal institutions," added James K. Weber, Special Agent
in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

	This prosecution resulted from the cooperative efforts of
the FBI and the The Corrections Administration for the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

98-261
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