Judge denied house arrest to deputy mayor Sierra Bravo and ordered prison for his key role in the attempted robbery of a jewelry store in Bucaramanga.
The Prosecutor’s Office convicted 35 former members of the Calima and Bananero Block of the ACCU for 345 crimes, including massacres in Valle del Cauca and other departments.
The 11th Municipal Criminal Court, with the function of guarantee control, denied the request for house arrest for the deputy mayor Richard José Sierra Bravo and imposed security measure in prisonin addition to non-custodial restrictions, such as the prohibition of leaving the country. The decision is based, among other factors, on the risk of a possible expiration of terms.
During the hearing, the judicial office indicated that Sierra Bravo would have participated as co-author of the attempted robbery of a jewelry store in a shopping center in Bucaramanga, an incident in which Police Mayor Fredy Leal died. Initially his role had been classified as that of an accomplice, but after analyzing the evidence provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, including the version of a witness and one of the criminals who collaborates with justice, it was concluded that his participation was decisive.
The man highlighted that Sierra Bravo had 18 years of service, more than nine decorations and more than 60 congratulations, which made him a key piece for the band. According to what was revealed at the hearing, the criminal group was looking for an agent with experience and weight within the institution.
The investigation indicates that the criminals met for more than a month inside and outside the shopping center to plan the theft, and that the deputy mayor accompanied them in this process. One of the witnesses stated: “That work could not be done without police officers,” while another stated: “He told me that we could work with gangs dedicated to theft from jewelry stores and ATMs.” For the judicial operator, these elements rule out that Sierra Bravo was a simple accomplice.
The office underlined the seriousness of the events: “The city had not experienced such barbarity. The attack occurred on a Saturday, when there is more public and more police presence, and it was also a day of in-person and digital commerce intensified by Black Friday.”
According to the judicial analysis, the role of the uniformed man was decisive: “How could they believe that they would be successful in such a large-scale crime? The answer is Richard. He was an experienced agent and that was the differential that allowed them to dare to commit an act of such magnitude.” The witness also stated that Sierra Bravo would have provided “the coordinates” of the plan and would receive an equal share of the profits. “You could say that he was like a leader,” said the robed man.
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The Prosecutor’s Office established that the attempted robbery had a value close to billion pesosa figure that could increase depending on the value of the precious stones. For these facts, Sierra Bravo could face a sentence between 500 and 700 months in prisonthat is, between 40 and 50 years, due to the death of Mayor Fredy Leal and the impact on citizens and police officers present.
The judicial authority emphasized that the defendant acted with malice, since his professional experience allowed him to understand the seriousness of his actions: “The penalty is very high; the last quarter of the dosage can exceed 40 years in prison, or even reach the maximum allowed by law.”
After house arrest was denied, the defense argued that the deputy mayor did have roots in Bucaramanga. However, the victims’ lawyer pointed out that the authorities found that Sierra Bravo did not formally reside in the city, but rather lived in the facilities of the Police South Front, where he was captured.
Source: Integrated Information System
