PERSONAL
Born in 1943 in the City of New York. Raised and educated in Puerto Rico
In 1967 married Myriam Conde and has three children
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Attorney at Law- Consultant
Annandale, Virginia
January 1998 to Present
Retired from the Department of Justice in December 1997, has been in private practice in the federal and state courts of Virginia since then, mostly dealing in criminal and some civil matters. Have also done consultant work on the criminal justice system of the United States and of other countries, based on 30 years as a former prosecutor. Provide services in the latter field to federal and state agencies as well as foreign countries that may request them.
As a consultant, organized and directed the training visit to Puerto Rico by five Honduran prosecutors and four police officers sponsored by USAID through the National Center for State Courts. In organizing this trip, Mr. Jorge Rios was able to avail himself of the help of my many connections with the judicial authorities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, both state and federal. Also served as a consultant to the Ministry of Justice of Chile in the organization of the Prosecutor General’s Office, inaugurated in early 2000.
Associate Director
Training Center-Criminal Division
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
October 1997 to December 1997
This job consisted primarily in the design, development and instruction of specialized litigation training for prosecutors in the Criminal Division in Washington. Did live training on matters such as Assets Forfeiture, Use of the Rico Statute in Violent Gangs= Prosecution, Tapping Cellular Phones and Other State-of-the-Art Communications Equipment and the Application of the Death Penalty. Did video training with instructors available for questions on Jury Persuasion, Cross-examination of Hostile Witnesses, Direct Examination of Abused Child Witness and other subjects. Our office also did presentations to foreign visitors on the role of the Department of Justice in the Criminal Justice System of the United States.
Associate Director
Overseas Prosecutorial Development,
Assistance and Training (OPDAT)
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
March 1991 - October 1997
Originally this job encompassed the design, planning and delivery of continuing legal education for lawyers in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. However, as of l993, it evolved into the development of training and institutionalization programs for prosecutors in various countries in Latin America. This cooperative effort required negotiating agreements with other U.S. Government agencies, particularly for funding, as well as recruiting personnel, developing curricula and the procurement of equipment and materials. Managed the stateside part of OPDAT's training programs in Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil and Perú. This entailed the assurance that services were provided smoothly and timely under these agreements, including developing programmatic and budgetary changes on demand.
The position also required the supervision of Resident Legal Advisors (RLAs) posted by the Department of Justice in host countries in Latin America. The latter involved making contact with the highest levels of the host countries Prosecutors’ General Offices, as well as with all law enforcement agencies. Also, a collateral responsibility of this job was making presentations on the U.S. criminal justice system to frequent visitors from all parts of the world, as well as traveling abroad for the same purpose.
Senior Trial Attorney
Office of Enforcement Operations
(Witness Immunity Unit)
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
January 1987 - March 1991*
In this position, was one of two attorneys in the Criminal Division that processed applications for authorization to immunize witnesses, nationwide. This entailed analysis of the application and rendering a recommendation in writing to the Assistant Attorney General on the approval or denial of the application. Processed in the same fashion, applications for authorization for dual prosecution (prosecution in federal court of defendants who have been tried in state court for the same or similar crime), and applications for authorization to subpoena attorneys in matters pertaining to the representation of their clients (past and present). The office also provided advice to the US Attorneys' Offices throughout the country on pre-trial diversion matters.
Senior Trial Attorney
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
April 1982 - December 1986*
As one of the senior trial attorneys in the section, was called upon to investigate, indict and prosecute some of the most significant cases that the Section was assigned to handle. An example of these types of cases was the case of U.S. v. Thompson, et. al., in the E.D. of Virginia, in which 17 defendants pleaded guilty to different charges. Six of the defendants pleaded guilty to Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE) charges, the most serious drug charge in the U.S. Code. Aside from the trial commitments, Jorge Rios helped train new attorneys and on occasion participated in training sessions for agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
During this time (August 1984 - April 1985) served as Acting Deputy Chief of the Section, the duties of which were to supervise the day-to-day operations of the unit, including personnel supervision and evaluation, as well as budgetary matters.
Also during this period (July 1982 - August 1984) served as Supervisor of Support Activity in the Section.
Attorney-in-Charge
Operation GREENBACK
Criminal Division (USDOJ)
Miami, Florida
October 1980 - July 1982*
During this period, Jorge Rios was the Attorney-in-Charge of Operation Greenback, the precursor of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). Had four lawyers and approximately 35-40 special agents from IRS, CUSTOMS and DEA, under his supervision. It was the mission of this Task Force to trace the drug traffic proceeds through banking and related institutions in Southern Florida and elsewhere. At Mr. Rios’ direction, the largest currency seizure and forfeiture until recently in the US was made in Miami. In the case of U.S. v. Sonal, $10,000,000 in cash was forfeited for the U.S. Government. This was one of many cases prosecuted against money launderers in Southern Florida. Also during this time, made the first very request under the then brand new extradition treaty between the U.S. and Colombia, in the case of U.S. v. Hernán Botero. He was the first Colombian citizen extradited under the treaty.
Trial Attorney
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
November 1977 - October 1980*
During this period of time, Mr. Rios was a litigation advisor to attorneys in the Major Drug Traffickers Prosecutions Units (MDTPUs) the equivalent, at the time, of the present day OCDETFs. As part of his duties, Mr. Rios gave advice to Assistant United States Attorneys on matters pertaining to major drug prosecutions such as, how to charge a CCE count, how to put together an application package on electronic surveillance, etc. Mr. Rios also traveled extensively over the Southwest region of the U.S. to assure the quality of the cases being prosecuted by the MDTPUs.
*Throughout this whole period, Jorge Rios was lead instructor in Judicial Seminars conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration for Judges and Prosecutors in Colombia, Perú, Brazil, Bolivia and Costa Rica. Mr. Rios was also a member of the US delegation that negotiated the Extradition and Mutual Assistance Treaties with Colombia in 1979-1980.
Assistant US Attorney
District of Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
November 1971 - November 1977
During the early part of this period, Mr. Rios did some civil litigation on behalf of the Government. Thereafter, he got totally involved in criminal prosecutions of all types. In 1976, Mr. Rios was appointed by the US Attorney to head the MDTPU in Puerto Rico. It was during this period that he prosecuted one of the most notorious drug cases prosecuted on the Island up to that time, U.S. v. Orlando Cepeda. Cepeda had been up until shortly before his arrest, a famous major league baseball player.
Senior Trial Attorney
Department of Justice
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
January 1968 - October 1971
I started my professional career as a lawyer with the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. I worked in different sections including the Solicitor General's Office, wherein I litigated cases before the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. I also prosecuted disbarment proceedings against lawyers for violations of the Ethics rules.
EDUCATION
1967 - Juris Doctor, School of Law
Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
1964 - Bachelors in Business Administration
Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR
Puerto Rico Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
U.S. District Courts for the Districts of PR, DC and VA
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st, 5th and 11th Circuits
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Claims
U.S. Customs Court
