Two Puerto Vallarta traffic officers, Ángeles Margarita “N” and Natalia “N”, have been formally charged with abuse of authority and bribery, following a hearing at the Eighth Judicial District Courts on January 27. The Jalisco Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Corruption announced the charges stem from a 2023 incident involving an alleged bribe attempt.
Control and Orality Judge Susana Azzaid Betancourt Flores determined there was sufficient evidence to begin criminal proceedings against the officers, who allegedly demanded 5,000 pesos from a driver to overlook a stop sign violation.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, on September 23, 2023, the officers stopped a vehicle for running a stop sign. Upon noticing the driver and passengers were intoxicated, they demanded money instead of issuing a ticket. When the driver refused and requested a proper citation, the officers called for backup. The situation escalated when responding officers physically and verbally assaulted one passenger, handcuffing him without justification.
The driver and another passenger attempted to flee but crashed during a police pursuit. One occupant escaped, while the other was arrested alongside the previously detained passenger. Both arrested individuals showed visible signs of injury when presented to the Municipal Judge.
The case expanded on January 21, 2025, when former Municipal Judge Felipe “N” was also prosecuted for abuse of authority and administrative crimes for failing to report the detainees’ injuries to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The accused officers face multiple restrictions: suspension from duty, monthly check-ins with the Precautionary Measures Unit, and prohibition from approaching victims and witnesses or handling any related cases. The State Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate additional crimes outside the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s jurisdiction.