A former agent of the Puerto Rico Special Investigations Bureau, Antonio Pizarro Adorno, has been found guilty of corruption by a federal jury. The conviction follows a five-day trial overseen by United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Pizarro Adorno was accused of taking $170 during a law enforcement seizure on April 27, 2023. The money was seized by the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and was intended for use in an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into drug trafficking activities in San Juan.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow commented on the case, stating: “The vast majority of law enforcement officers serve the community with honor and valor. Those who do not will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, emphasized the importance of integrity within law enforcement: “Every act of corruption, big or small, weakens the foundation of justice, and we will not tolerate it. The FBI remains focused on holding accountable those who betray that trust, no matter the amount, no matter the circumstances.”
The investigation is being led by the FBI San Juan Field Office's Public Corruption Unit with assistance from both the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pizarro Adorno could face up to 20 years in prison with sentencing set for June 10, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy handled prosecution duties for this case.
