Archive - September 6, 2011

Posted: Friday, September 02, 2011 – By Tico Times Nicaragua locks up U.S. citizen on narco charges. But his friends and family keep asking: Where’s the evidence? A Nicaraguan court on Monday convicted former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer and RE/MAX real estate franchise owner Jason Puracal, 34, of drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime. He could face up to 30 years in prison in a trial that has been highly questioned by family members, local media and other observers. Puracal, a native of Washington State, in the U.S., was among 11 people arrested Nov. 11 on drug conspiracy charges (TT, Dec. 17, 2010). Puracal maintains his innocence and said he doesn’t know any of the Nicaraguan suspects in the case. Prosecutors alleged he was involved in “national and international transactions using a great amount of money without justification to buy and sell property, especially in the departments of Rivas . . .