18/06/2026 03:21 - Actualidad
Sala judicial moderna con tribunal de jueces en estrado elevado, fiscales y defensores en sus posiciones, pantallas de videoconferencia visibles, ambiente serio y profesional, banderas argentinas en fondo, iluminación de tribunal
The Federal Oral Tribunal of Corrientes (a northeastern Argentine province bordering Paraguay) began on June 16, 2026, the oral trial against 17 people accused of the abduction and concealment of Loan Danilo Peña. The child disappeared on June 13, 2024, in a rural area called Algarrobal, near the small town of 9 de Julio in Corrientes province. The hearings are held at facilities of Gendarmerie Squadron 48 (Gendarmería Nacional is Argentina's federal paramilitary police force that handles security in rural areas).
The Public Prosecutor's Office, represented by General Prosecutors Carlos Schaefer and Tamara Pourcel, divided the accused into two groups based on their involvement:
One of the most tense moments of the first hearing was the absence of Esteban Federico Rossi Colombo, the forensic psychologist accused of false testimony, title usurpation (practicing without credentials), and obstructing the investigation. The tribunal declared him in rebellion (a legal status for fugitives who fail to appear in court) and ordered his arrest.
However, hours later, Rossi Colombo appeared connected via Zoom from the Gendarmerie in Tucumán province, accompanied by a new defense attorney identified as Segundo Delgado. The defendant explained he lacked financial resources to travel or hire a lawyer.
Prosecutor Schaefer questioned the tribunal's decision to accept his remote participation, but judges resolved to keep him in the proceedings. The provisional public defense was assigned to Mirtha Liliana Pellegrini, while starting June 18, attorney Juliana Machado will take over.
According to the Public Prosecutor's Office accusation, Loan did not get lost; he was abducted in an organized context. Prosecutors describe a plan divided into two stages:
After a family lunch on June 13, 2024, Benítez, Ramírez, Millapi, and Laudelina Peña allegedly took the children to an orange grove located more than ten minutes from the house, beyond the visual range of the adults.
Laudelina Peña convinced one of Loan's cousins to return to the house, leaving the child solely under the adult group's control. In the Ford Ranger pickup truck belonging to the Pérez-Caillava marriage, traces compatible with the minor were found (odor detection dogs detected the child's scent).
Commissioner Walter Maciel, according to the prosecution, constructed a staged search scenario and adopted measures to obstruct the investigation from the earliest hours. The child's shoe (botita) was found in a location that investigators believe was deliberately placed to simulate a disappearance.
According to the prosecution, Elizabeth Cutaia and Alan Cañete led an organization that operated under the false facade of "Fundación Dupuy". The group allegedly held minors and witnesses at the "Despertar del Iberá" hotel, manipulating their statements through pressure, deception, and promises.
They are also accused of obtaining money from the municipality of 9 de Julio through irregular invoicing for professional services that, in some cases, were provided by people without proper credentials.
| Tribunal: | Judges Ceroleni, Bracco, and Belforte |
| Prosecutors: | Carlos Schaefer and Tamara Pourcel |
| Defendants: | 17 people |
| Witnesses: | More than 170 testimonies expected |
| Estimated duration: | More than 4 months |
| Location: | Gendarmerie Squadron 48, Corrientes |
| Date of disappearance: | June 13, 2024 |
| Loan's age: | 5 years old at the time of disappearance |
Hearings follow an alternating schedule: during the first week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and subsequent weeks on Wednesday and Thursday, consecutively until the trial concludes. More than 170 witnesses are expected to testify.
Loan Danilo Peña was 5 years old when he disappeared on June 13, 2024. The "Alerta Sofía" (Sofía Alert - Argentina's equivalent to the Amber Alert system used in the United States and other countries for child abduction emergencies) for the case remains active two years after the events.
Sources: TN Policiales | Fiscalías
Alfredo S. Quiroga
