Particle.news

Prison Phones Linked to Plot to Kill Prosecutor, Justice Officials Say

Seized backups and phones are now under forensic review as prosecutors probe collaborators and lawmakers call to ban inmate cellphones.

Overview

  • Investigators following a robbery case found a phone backup on a seized computer that revealed messages and photos showing a plotted attack on prosecutor María Paula Hertrig.
  • The evidence led to simultaneous raids in the Florencio Varela and Campana prison units that recovered three cellphones now undergoing forensic examination.
  • Hertrig filed a complaint, recused herself from the original probe, and the file was reassigned to deputy prosecutor Patricio Ferrari while her security was strengthened.
  • The suspects identified in coverage are Martín Darío Rettori and Ariel Ernesto Libertini, both held in connection with a gang accused of 'entraderas' who allegedly coordinated from inside prison.
  • The case has reignited political pressure to prohibit inmate cellphone use and highlights how illicit devices let detained people keep contact with outside criminal networks, a point likely to shape policy and further probes.