Bailaor Rafael Amargo rejected a plea deal offered by the prosecution during the June hearing in Madrid. He declined the proposal that would have reduced the potential punishment in exchange for admitting certain facts, insisting on his innocence and trusting that the truth would come to light.
Attorney Jaime Caballero disclosed this stance to EFE, referring to the case, which is set to be examined at the Madrid County Court starting June 7. Amargo stands accused of leading a drug distribution network operating from his home, with prosecutors seeking a nine-year prison sentence based on specified charges.
The presiding judge, in the closure of the investigation, stated that the dancer headed a group primarily involved in drug trafficking, including methamphetamine. The court indicated that the drugs were moved to buyers through mule couriers delivering them to the residence he shared with his wife.
According to the magistrate, the artist, his wife Luciana Bongianino, producer Eduardo de los Santos, and another associate named Miguel Ángel BA should face trial for crimes against public health, with additional charges indicating participation in a criminal organization.
They Seek a 9-Year Prison Term
The Prosecutor’s Office is pursuing nine years behind bars for acting against public health, while it does not accuse Luciana Bongianino of wrongdoing. It alleges that she consistently sold drugs to third parties from Amargo’s home and adds nine more years for Eduardo de los Santos and six more for Miguel Ángel BA.
This week, Amargo’s lawyer, Jaime Caballero, told EFE that the prosecution offered a deal that would cut the prison sentence by more than half. Amargo rejected the offer, arguing that he does not traffic drugs and that any substances kept at his home were for personal use only, which he maintains is not a crime.
The attorney highlighted that the case has caused mental distress related to methamphetamine use, noting that Amargo was recently hospitalized and is currently undergoing detoxification treatment.
He stressed that nothing incriminating was found at the artist’s home, contrasting it with a considerable amount of drugs found at the residence of the accused producer.
“The process is painful and magnified beyond reason. It feels like a mass lynching”, the lawyer commented on the case, referencing Amargo’s arrest last March in Alicante on allegations of continuing to smuggle drugs through various Madrid apartments. He called the claims untrue and asserted that Amargo could move freely in Madrid, as he regularly attended court without issues.
Following the Alicante arrest, charges of crimes against public health were raised, and another attack occurred at the office, injuring two people. Amargo was released under precautionary measures pending further proceedings related to the second arrest, and the Madrid case was halted for the time being.
The court has not yet conducted a full examination. The lawyer expressed confidence that Rafael Amargo would be vindicated, noting the absence of footage or other concrete evidence to link him to the alleged crimes.
Source: Agencia EFE