Judge rejects release of firefighter arrested with fake credentials in papal operation in Buenos Aires
Federal judge María Servini denied freedom to Tomás Natenzon, arrested in Palermo with forged accreditation during the visit of Pope Leo XIV.
Firefighter remains detained after judicial rejection whilst awaiting forensic examination
Federal judge María Servini rejected on Thursday the release of Tomás Natenzon, the firefighter arrested on Sunday 8 November near the Monument of the Spanish, in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Palermo, during security operations for the visit of Pope Leo XIV, according to pagina12.com.ar.
Natenzon's defence lawyer, Juan Manuel Dragani, had requested his release following the questioning on Tuesday. Servini had 24 hours to respond to the request, but rejected it because the Forensic Medical Service had not yet delivered the results of the examination. The judge ordered Natenzon to remain detained until that report was received. Dragani is expected to renew the request in the coming days.
The young man was provisionally charged with usurpation of authority, suppression of registration numbering and forgery of a public document.
At the time of his detention, Natenzon was circulating on a motorcycle with false number plates and credentials, police beacons and various communications equipment. During the search of his residence, items seized included: a 9 millimetre pistol with ammunition and magazines of different calibres, forged credentials bearing the legend "Vatican liaison" in his name, 43 trunking units, radiofrequency bases and HT chargers, radios, a badge and police rank insignia, two body cameras, three notebooks, two computers, one tablet and two mobile telephones.
In his statement on Tuesday, Natenzon did not answer questions but, according to judicial sources, "provided acceptable explanations for his work in communications and as a firefighter". He stated that he works for the Vuelta de Rocha Fire Department and a radio and communications company, which allegedly had given him the accreditations. He added that he had four access bracelets for the location "which were not scanned".
Source: Google News UY — Crime