A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico indicted Joely Rodríguez-Villega, a 28-year-old resident of San Juan, on April 30 for allegedly providing false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to a May 8 announcement. Court documents state that Rodríguez-Villega is accused of willfully and knowingly making materially false and fictitious representations regarding her whereabouts during the evening hours of March 29, 2024.
Rodríguez-Villega appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauzá in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico for her initial court appearance. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison. Sentencing would be determined by a federal district court judge after considering applicable guidelines and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, announced the indictment. The investigation is being conducted by both the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Díaz-González and Joseph Russell from the Gang Section are prosecuting this case.
"An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," said officials.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico supports public safety by handling federal crimes including civil rights violations; enforces federal laws through criminal prosecutions and civil litigation; serves all parts of Puerto Rico; offers mechanisms for reporting crimes; operates in areas such as public corruption and drug trafficking; and is led by Muldrow as United States Attorney, according to its official website.
