Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against three Puerto Rico Police Bureau officers: Luis A. Nieves-Colón, Ángel R. Giusti-Rosa, and Alberto Betancourt-Aponte. The charges include a violation of civil rights, conspiracy to falsify records, falsification of records, and making materially false statements to federal agents.
According to court documents, the charges arise from an arrest on March 7, 2023, at the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project in Carolina, Puerto Rico, involving an individual identified as J.C.F.G. The indictment alleges that Nieves-Colón used unreasonable force resulting in bodily injury during an arrest, in violation of federal civil rights law.
Violation of Civil Rights
Count One charges Nieves-Colón with depriving J.C.F.G. of the right to be free from unreasonable force while acting under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242.
Conspiracy and Falsification of Records
Counts Two through Six allege that Nieves-Colón, Giusti-Rosa, and/or Betancourt-Aponte falsified and conspired to falsify Puerto Rico Police Bureau Use-of-Force Reports and other documents to obstruct and impede a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI. The indictment alleges that the defendants knowingly omitted the fact that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G. and created false narratives regarding the events of the arrest.
False Statements to the FBI
Count Seven charges Betancourt-Aponte with making a materially false statement to the FBI during an interview on November 14, 2025. According to the indictment, he falsely stated that he had no knowledge on March 7, 2023, that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G.
“The vast majority of police officers serve our communities with honor. But when they misuse their authority, they deprive victims of their civil rights and diminish the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Department of Justice remain steadfast in safeguarding the constitutional rights of all residents of Puerto Rico.”
“We are committed to pursuing those who undermine the integrity of law enforcement,” said Joe Rodriguez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “These arrests are an example of how no one is above the law – even those who enforce it cannot falsify records or evade justice. The FBI will remain vigilant, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to tackle corruption and uphold justice for the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you have information on this or any other federal crime leave a tip online through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can be handled confidentially.”
If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties:
• Civil rights violation (18 U.S.C. § 242): up to 10 years in prison
• Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371): up to 5 years in prison
• Falsification of records (18 U.S.C. § 1519): up to 20 years in prison per count
• False statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001): up to 5 years in prison
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI encourages anyone with information related to the arrest on March 7, 2023 in the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project described in the indictment to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at (787) 987-6500 or submit a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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