For the first time in San Luis, the Justice system imposed a sentence of effective compliance for forest fires.
In an unprecedented ruling, the provincial Judiciary sentenced Jonathan Meinrad Falco Torres to five years of effective imprisonment for intentionally starting a fire in the Balcarce area near the town of Cortaderas.
Historic verdict in San Luis for forest fires
The unanimous ruling was issued by the judges Daniel Sanchiño (president), Sandra Piguillem, and MarÃa Claudia Uccello, from the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
Representing the Public Prosecutor’s Office was Mario Zudaire, while the defense was carried out by lawyer Francisco Pérez.
The incident: what happened
The fires for which the accused was convicted occurred on September 3 and 18, 2024, in rural areas of Cortaderas.
The latter had devastating consequences: it consumed over 3000 hectares, affecting homes, personal property, and causing irreversible damage to the forest, its wildlife, and flora.
During the trial, as reported by vm24noticias, Prosecutor Zudaire presented testimonies from neighbors and witnesses. All placed Falco Torres at the scene of the incidents and directly linked him to the flames.
Technical expertise also supported the hypothesis of an intentional origin, especially in the second disaster, which was exacerbated by the weather conditions.
Defense’s statement
The public defense, in turn, questioned the validity of the expert reports, arguing that they were not carried out by specialized personnel in fire investigation.
Therefore, they cast doubt on the testimonies’ veracity. Additionally, they alleged that there were WhatsApp conversations where an attempt to coordinate a version to incriminate the accused allegedly took place.
In his final statement, Falco Torres maintained his innocence. “They accused me because I’m poor. Someone had to be blamed, and it was me,” he argued before the court.
The historic ruling
However, after the investigation and evidence collection, the tribunal found Falco Torres guilty of willful fire-setting in “actual competition” for two incidents.
The five-year sentence of effective imprisonment represents an unprecedented ruling in the province and sets a precedent in the fight against environmental crimes.
