Criminals Relocated to U.S., Papers Say

The head of a Puerto Rican witness relocation program misled Congress last month when he said the island was not dumping killers and drug dealers on U.S. cities, two newspapers reported. When Miguel Gierbolini told a House panel on crime that no dangerous criminals were sent to Florida, a drug dealer protected by the program was sitting five rows behind him, the Orlando Sentinel and the San Juan Star of Puerto Rico said. The newspapers said Gierbolini seriously misrepresented the number of witnesses sent to Florida and the severity of their crimes. They identified major criminals from weapons traffickers to murderers relocated to mainland cities, usually without warning local law enforcement. Gierbolini told the Star he was unaware of witnesses with criminal backgrounds who were given immunity and relocated to the U.S.