Scores of relatives turned up on Friday for the sentencing of three Americans who admitted to participating in a complex international criminal conspiracy to defraud the Government of Trinidad and Tobago during the construction of the Piarco Airport project.
By Darren BahawFrom as early as 8.30 a.m, relatives of the prisoners began crowding the corridors of the court, hoping to get a seat on one of the eight wooden benches provided for members of the public for the 10 a.m. hearing before Judge Paul Huck, on the 10th Floor of the James Lawrence King Federal Court in downtown Miami.
Several were left waiting outside as court Marshals enforced the judge's order not to allow anyone standing at the back.
Proceedings began with the sentencing of Armando Paz, 77, the former chief financial officer of a now defunct Miami firm, Calmaquip Engineering Corporation; one of the companies which was corruptly awarded a contract to provide specialty equipment for the airport project. United States prosecutor Richard Gregorie said while Paz did not benefit from any of the corrupt kickbacks he had filed a false bank application to obtain a loan by misrepresenting the purpose of the loan from a Miami bank.
Gregorie said Paz, whose memory was now failing, did not play a major role in the conspiracy was willing to repay almost US$500,000.
He said Paz's cooperation led to his nephew, the president of Calmaquip Raul Gutierrez Jr, pleading guilty to charges of bank and wire fraud and recommended a sentence of probation with a period of house arrest.
The judge said the recommendation was "extraordinary".
Paz's lawyer, Silvia Pinera-Vazquez, unsuccessfully tried to convince the judge to remove the house arrest clause due to her client's illness.
"From a possible sentence of 63 months in prison to house arrest is a major accomplishment," the judge told the attorney.
Paz was sentenced to four years probation with the first six months under house arrest and ordered to pay the Government of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$489,618.06.
Turning to defendant, de Villegas, who participated in the bid rigging process to facilitate the hyper-inflated contract going to Calmaquip, the judge took into consideration that he was the first one to turn himself in and co-operate with law enforcement authorities and helped investigators understand the magnitude and complexity of the fraudulent transactions.
His lawyer, John Sale, said de Villegas, the former vice president of Calmaquip, and former brother-in-law of Gutierrez, has also been working with Trinidad authorities to identify other people who were involved.
Sale said his client would testify in Trinidad and Tobago although he did not receive "one nickel of illegal proceeds" and has also agreed to recover an investment of stocks in an unnamed corporation, which was invested by Gutierrez, as restitution.
The judge was not moved to impose as sentence of probation with house arrest and instead went even lower than the recommended sentence of the prosecutor, sending de Villegas to jail for 12 months and one day, and also imposed a fine of US$50,000 and ordered him to perform 300 hours of community service during his three years of supervised release.
In a statement to the court, de Villegas said he recognized the consequences of his actions and vowed to do all in his power to help the people of Trinidad and Tobago "including giving truthful evidence when and where appropriate and telling fully what I know of the frauds committed in the building of the Piarco Airport".
"My life has been a handkerchief which now has a red stain, no matter what I do that stain will remain until I die," he said.
In a letter to Attorney General John Jeremie, the prisoner said he did not then know about the magnitude of the fraud and now realized how it harmed the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
"I wish to express my deepest apologies to the people of Trinidad and Tobago for my participation in these wrongful acts and illegal transactions. I will make appropriate restitution to the people of Trinidad and Tobago," the letter stated.
Eduardo Hillman-Waller, the former partner of the now defunct Miami-based construction supervisory firm which was corruptly selected to ensure the bid manipulating process, was the last prisoner dealt with by the judge.
In his statement to the court, the prisoner said his participation in the criminal scheme was a "nightmare with which I will have to live with for the rest of my life".
The Cuban-born American citizen apologized to the court and the United States government saying he loved America "like only a refugee could".
He said he asked his family and friends to stay away from court hearing to shield them from the embarrassment he has caused.
In a letter to the Attorney General, the prisoner admitted to participating in perverting the bidding process and apologized for his actions.
"I wish to express my deepest apologies to the people of Trinidad and Tobago for their economic loss. I shall do all in my power to help the people of Trinidad and Tobago including giving truthful evidence when and where appropriate, and telling fully what I know about the building of the Piarco Airport and repaying my debt to society," the letter added.
Huck sentenced Hillman-Waller to 37 months in prison and ordered him to remain on three years of supervised release and perform 450 hours or community service.
