VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #1171 1462156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 262156Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5197
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 001171 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CEN FOR JASON MACK, WHA/PPC FOR MIKE PUCCETTI, G/TIP 
FOR LINDA BROWN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KCRM CS
SUBJECT: G/TIP-FUNDED TRAINING ASSISTS PROSECUTION OF TWO 
OFFICIALS 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  On May 24, 2006, two auditors with the powerful 
Comptroller's Office were each sentenced to nine years in 
prison on charges that included paid sex with minors and the 
production and diffusion of pornography.  The officials were 
arrested in the port city of Limon on September 10, 2004 when 
two underage victims filed complaints.  The trial lasted 
almost two weeks and hinged on victim testimony when 
technical evidnce was thrown out.  The lead prosecutor 
particiated in several G/TIP-funded training programs.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  On September 10, 2004, agents o the judicial police 
(OIJ) arrested Manuel Fernadez and Jorge Cortes at their 
hotel, based on coplaints filed by two underage girls.  The 
men, aditors with the national Comptroller's Office, werein 
port city of Limon to review the customs procdures used by 
port authorities.  The arrests caued a stir since the 
auditors were long-term emloyees of the Comptroller's Office 
with 15 and 19 years of service, respectively.  An initial 
scan of the official laptop and a digital camera the auditors 
had in their hotel room turned up nothing and the men 
returned to the capital pending further investigation. 
 
 
¶3.  The following month, in October 2004, lead prosecutor 
Floribeth Rodriguez participated in the first G/TIP-financed 
investigative training course for child sexual exploitation 
cases.  Rodriguez later told us the information she received 
in the course, and especially a follow-up course on 
interviewing techniques for child victims, was particularly 
useful in preparing the case.  Witness preparation proved 
crucial when the court threw out key photographic evidence 
retrieved from the men's official computer.  Although the 
photos had been erased, investigators were able to recover 
incriminating images using INL-provided software and 
training.  The evidence was thrown out, however, due to an 
error in its chain of custody. 
 
¶4.  Comment: The case attracted press attention for two days 
and demonstrates that even government officials can and will 
be prosecuted.  The delay of nearly a year and a half between 
arrest and trial is relatively short by Costa Rican 
standards.  The Comptroller's Office has vast audit power, 
causing some observers to conclude that the delay indicated 
reluctance on the part of the prosecutors to press the case. 
Over the course of the two-year G/TIP-funded training 
program, over 130 Costa Rican officials received specific 
training in the area of commercial sexual exploitation of 
children, of which 30 were certified as instructors. 
LANGDALE