The defendant admitted in the Provincial Court of Zaragoza to 19 acts committed during January 2025 and will have to pay more than 10.000 euros to the victims.
As reported by several regional media outlets , a 68-year-old resident of Mequinenza has accepted a three-year prison sentence for a series of robberies committed during January 2025 at farms, country houses, homes, and businesses in the Mequinenza and Fayón area. The defendant admitted to the crimes this week at the Provincial Court of Zaragoza , where the testimony of some twenty victims was scheduled, although it was ultimately not necessary as an agreement was reached between the parties.
The sentence, delivered orally by the First Section court, finds the defendant guilty of a continuing offense of burglary . According to the indictment, the events occurred between January 1 and 31, 2025, and affected various properties, from which tools, agricultural equipment, household items, and other belongings were stolen.
An agreement that lowers the initial request
The agreement between the prosecution and the defense significantly reduced the initial request, which had reached 17 years in prison. Furthermore, the request for a ban on residing in or visiting the area for more than five decades was withdrawn , according to several regional media outlets.
The defendant, represented by lawyer Javier Catalán, accepted the three-year prison sentence and the payment of the corresponding compensation. The case was handled by the Single Court of the Civil and Preliminary Investigation Section of the Caspe Court of First Instance.
Despite the conviction, one important step remains: the execution of the sentence. It is during this phase that it will be determined whether the convicted person must enter the Zuera prison or whether the sentence will be suspended.
Agricultural equipment, tools and damage to establishments
The list of acknowledged incidents includes 19 robberies or attempted robberies . Among the most significant incidents is the one suffered by the owner of two plots of land located in the industrial park, where a battery and a box of personal protective equipment for sulfate application work were stolen, with a value exceeding 2.000 euros.
In other locations, the accused took pruning tools, an axe, gardening equipment, a wheelbarrow, dishes, a grill, a brush cutter, and a hose. There are also records of access to agricultural properties where brush cutters, cans of oil, crowbars, clamps, and other items related to farm work disappeared.
One of the businesses affected was the Piscis bar , which the convicted man entered on two occasions. In this case, he stole copper from the beer taps, electrical wiring, and a thermos, according to the prosecution.
More than 10.000 euros in compensation
The total value of the stolen items and the damages claimed amounts to €10.495 . The convicted man has agreed to pay this amount as part of the settlement reached in court.
The hearing at the Provincial Court of Zaragoza ultimately avoided a trial with testimony from the victims, as the facts were acknowledged and the criminal and economic consequences of the robberies committed during that month of January were accepted.
