Sonia I. Torres-Pabón

E-mail address: st@mcvpr.com
Phone number: (787) 250-2628
Fax number: (787) 474-9231

Sonia I. Torres-Pabón is a Special Counsel in the Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Government Enforcement and White Collar Defense Practice Area.

Ms. Torres is the former criminal chief for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico, where she was responsible for the supervision of three prosecutorial units: White Collar, Violent Crimes and Narcotics and Money Laundering. Her experience includes litigation and investigation of money laundering, investment fraud, financial fraud, ERISA embezzlement schemes, federal program fraud, union dues embezzlement schemes, mail and wire fraud, and immigration cases. She has vast experience arguing cases before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. Torres' investigative and prosecutorial skills earned her numerous recognitions from the law enforcement community and the Department of Justice. Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Justice, Ms. Torres served as a Lieutenant for the United States Navy. As a Naval Judge Advocate she represented and prosecuted service members in both Administrative and Court Martial proceedings.

Practice Areas

During her tenure as an Assistant United States Attorney, Ms. Torres investigated and supervised complex white collar crime, narcotics, and violent crimes. Her experience includes the following areas: investment fraud, financial fraud, ERISA embezzlement schemes, federal program fraud, union dues embezzlement schemes, intellectual property crimes, mail and wire fraud, immigration cases, environmental violations, money laundering, narcotics, and violent crimes. Ms. Torres has successfully tried numerous complex cases.

Education

She holds a B.A., cum laude, in Political Science from the Inter American University, San German Campus and a JD from the Catholic University Law School, in Ponce, Puerto Rico where she was Editor of the School's Law Review.

Admissions

Ms. Torres-Pabón is admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1995), the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (1995), the United States Court of Military Appeals (1991) and the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (1990).

Representative Cases

• United States v. Eddie Samir Rodriguez Barrios. This case involves the car jacking and murder of Yessenia Ortiz. The defendant was the victim's ex-husband, a former member of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Convicted in September 2006.
• United States v. Aureliano Giraud, etal. This case involved a major drug trafficking organization in which its members invested millions of dollars of drug proceeds in the purchase of alleged legitimate businesses (money laundering scheme).
• United States v. Enrique Sosa, etal, This case involves a scheme to defraud the "Union de Trabajadores de Muelles" (UTM), a branch of the International Longshoreman's Association, of its union dues, embezzlement of funds belonging to the Union's Health Care Plan, and money laundering violations.
• United States v. Carlos Soto. This case involved fraud violations by a broker from Morgan Stanley who defrauded investors of over 40 million dollars.
• Operation Lost Honor (Honor Perdido) - This involves the investigation and prosecution of one of the largest police corruption cases in the United States.
• Operation Blue Shame (Verguenza Azul) - This involves the investigation and prosecution of a ring of corrupt police officers in the Southern Part of Puerto Rico.