TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Former Tacoma resident and University of Washington grad Jason Puracal was sentenced Tuesday in Nicaragua to 22 years in prison in a drug case.
His family tells The News Tribune (http://bit.ly/rcCPLg ) the charges against him were politically motivated and the trial unfair. His family is appealing and is seeking help from U.S. officials. Rep. Adam Smith has spoken on Puracal’s behalf.
The 34-year-old was convicted last month of laundering drug money through his real estate business in the tourist town of San Juan del Sur. He was arrested in November 2010 by Nicaraguan National Police and is held at La Modelo prison near Managua.
Paracal went to Nicaragua in 2002 with the Peace Corps and stayed to start a family and a business.
