Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz can now rest a little easier.
Accused Dominican drug kingpin Cesar Emilio Peralta, linked to the shooting of Ortiz, was arrested during the 2021 holiday season. Peralta had been in custody in Colombia and was extradited to U.S. authorities in Puerto Rico just before Christmas.
Game 4: David Ortiz gets his first hit in the 2002 ALDS. Interesting commentary. pic.twitter.com/Qva4NnN98x
— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) December 26, 2021
What’s In A Name
“El Abusador,” which translates to “The Abuser,” now faces drug trafficking charges.
The FBI had wanted Peralta since late 2018 for his reported decade of alleged drug trafficking in Latin America. However, the shooting of Ortiz at a Dominican Republic bar in June 2019 has also been linked to Peralta.
RD FIRMA AUTORIZADA C.POLANCO : César Emilio Peralta coopera para evitar fuerte condena en Puerto Ricohttps://t.co/szQh7zgI2w #Noticiasviral #UltimoMinuto #ULTIMAHORA
#rdfirmaautorizada pic.twitter.com/WrT01OaEsz— RD FIRMA Autorizada C.polanco. (@rdfirmaautoriz1) December 28, 2021
Although more than a dozen individuals were arrested in the Dominican Republic during the shooting, authorities have maintained that Ortiz was shot accidentally in a reported botched hit job.
The Set-Up
However, “El Abusador” reportedly intended the target to be Ortiz, ordering the shooting of the ex-MLB superstar after Ortiz ignored a warning from Peralta to stop sleeping with his girlfriend.
Ortiz reputedly bought Peralta’s girlfriend a Lexus, which was the straw that broke the camel’s back, or more accurately, set up the hit order.
According to reports, once Peralta found out about the Lexus, he ordered his shooting. With the attempted hit occurring at point-blank range, Ortiz is fortunate to have survived.
VIDEO: César Emilio Peralta "El Abusador" revela que se enteró que la entonces fiscal Yeni Berenice le estaba dando seguimiento a sus actividades, situación que reportó al Palacio Nacional y unos 15 a 20 días después la removieron de su puesto.- #JaqueMate pic.twitter.com/jpSp9t1XBo
— Leonardo Jaquez (@LeonardoJaquez) January 2, 2022
The Kingpin
Puerto Rican officials have accused Peralta of leading a drug organization from the Dominican Republic. They contend that he received cocaine shipments from Colombia and Venezuela by the ton. Officials charge the loads were reportedly trafficked to Puerto Rico and the United States mainland for distribution.
“This arrest and extradition underscore the collaboration and cooperation between our law enforcement partners, as well as our commitment and resolve to combat transnational organized crime,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow in a statement.
The Red Sox were down to their last out when David Ortiz hits a game tying triple.
Big Papi wasn’t done, he would crush a game winning walk-off double into the triangle.
On 05/14/2016, the Sox comeback and win 6-5, in 11 innings!! Fenway was rocking!pic.twitter.com/obp9s5nAYf
— Beyond the Monster (@BeyondtheMnstr) January 2, 2022
Peralta was indicted by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico in November 2018 and charged with conspiring to import heroin and cocaine into the United States. In addition, Peralta was also charged with distributing five or more kilos of cocaine for United States importation.
Caught In The Middle
Because of the indictment, Peralta had to forfeit four properties in the Dominican Republic, including three nightclubs and one business.
According to reports, the U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned Peralta under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act back in August 2019.
As a result, Peralta went into hiding, reportedly fleeing to Colombia on a yacht. Authorities say Peralta was planning to fly to Panama to evade capture when police stormed into the apartment he was hiding in and apprehended him.
On The Hall Hunt
Ortiz, the former designated hitter for the Red Sox, is currently hunting to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Ortiz is still the most popular player on voters’ ballots this year.
However, with 123 ballots already made public, Ortiz has a good indication as he has received 81.3 percent of the vote. With 75 percent of the vote needed for induction, Ortiz looks like a shoo-in.
Unfortunately, that is just 31.4 percent of the publicly known votes, so there are no accurate indications of his induction yet. The Hall of Fame will announce the final results on Jan. 25.
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