In a landmark environmental ruling, the Collegiate Court of San José de Ocoa has imposed substantial penalties against Agroforestal MACAPI, S.A. and its proprietor, agribusiness executive Manuel Castillo Pimentel, for severe ecological damage inflicted in the Loma Redonda region. The judicial decision mandates combined fines and compensation reaching 60 million Dominican pesos (approximately $1 million USD), alongside a two-year suspended prison term for Castillo Pimentel.
Presiding Judge Alfis Brandeli Castillo Castillo delivered the verdict, which was formally communicated to the Public Ministry in December 2025 via the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Environmental and Natural Resources Defense (Proedemaren). The court found conclusive evidence of systematic violations of national environmental and forestry regulations, resulting in a 50 million peso fine payable to the Dominican State and an additional 10 million pesos allocated as civil compensation for moral damages. The suspended incarceration sentence operates under provisions outlined in the Criminal Procedure Code.
Beyond financial penalties, the judicial order requires comprehensive ecological restoration of approximately 100 tareas (15.7 acres) of degraded land through a scientifically-grounded reforestation initiative using indigenous species. This rehabilitation effort will be conducted under strict supervision by the Ministry of Environment to ensure compliance. Prosecutorial evidence demonstrated that the defendants engaged in extensive deforestation activities, caused significant biodiversity loss, damaged critical water resources, and erected illegal infrastructure without authorization. This case establishes a powerful precedent for environmental accountability, highlighting the Dominican government’s strengthened resolve to prosecute ecological crimes with maximum judicial rigor.