The Federal Court of Corrientes confirmed the preventive detention of former police chief Walter Adrián Maciel, accused in the case of the disappearance of the boy Loan Danilo Peña, which occurred five months ago. The judicial decision was based on the possibility that the accused might obstruct the investigation or attempt to flee, with these reasons being key to keeping him detained rather than granting house arrest, an initial request from the defense.
The former police chief will remain in the maximum-security prison of Marcos Paz, in the province of Buenos Aires. The prosecutor in the case reported that the alleged existence of a criminal organization dedicated to human trafficking is being investigated, in which Maciel could be involved. It was emphasized that the accused would have manipulated evidence, threatened witnesses, and altered records, actions that could interfere with the judicial process.
The prosecutor also noted that Maciel allegedly ordered the interrogation of neighbors who participated in a march demanding the appearance of Loan, as well as others involved in the case. These events reinforce suspicions that the former police chief could negatively influence the investigation.
