The extortion defendant Krisman Nizama Ponce (31), who escaped from the Piura prison this Sunday, had already made the news in September 2018 for using his Facebook profile from prison, where he published selfies and updates.
The National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) indicated that the escape occurred when he was transferred to the area to receive psychiatric care. On that occasion, the institution also reported that six inmates carried out similar activities on social networks from the penitentiary center.
They were Hardy Andrade Aguilar, Gian Carlo Cruz Aponte, Bryan Duque Suyón, Julla Medina Montero, Miguel Ángel Yataco Jiménez and Julio Wilder Calderón Eche.
After the events, the prison administration carried out a search operation in the pavilions and transferred the inmates to the meditation environments, according to the statement released by TV Peru. In addition, it notified the Public Ministry and reported that the administrative investigation will determine the corresponding sanctions.
Nizama Ponce was carrying out an order preventive detention issued in March 2024 by the judge of the First Preparatory Investigation Court of Talara, José Luis Lizano. The same measure was applied to Juan Víctor Ochoa Nores for the alleged crime of extortion and to Joel Enrique Gómez Morán for illegal possession of ammunition.
The Prosecutor’s Office indicated that the escaped inmate, known as ‘El loco’ and considered a member of the gang ‘The Cursed of Talara‘, was caught in flagrante delicto. During a search of the mobile phone, it was verified that he made calls to the victim. In the operation, Gómez Morán carried six 24-caliber plastic cartridges and Ochoa Nores had four 38-caliber ammunition.
The authorities explained that the detainees demanded 20,000 soles from the victim, who received death threats over the phone. After the complaint, the Police and the Public Ministry organized an operation in the La Campana sector of Talara Alta. There, the controlled delivery of an envelope with 500 soles in marked bills was carried out, which facilitated the identification of the extortionists.
The court stressed that the penalty provided for the attributed crimes exceeds five years and can reach up to fifteen years in prison. Both Nizama Ponce and Ochoa Nores have criminal records for illegal possession of weapons.
The INPE reported that, after the escape, “security protocols were immediately activated and an exhaustive search began both inside the prison and in the surrounding area.” Currently, authorities are working on recapture actions.
The prison administration also ordered the immediate removal of the director and deputy director of the Piura prison. Furthermore, the Office of Internal Affairs He went to the establishment to carry out administrative inquiries and establish responsibilities.
The escape of Nizama Ponce joins other recent incidents, such as the escape of a Venezuelan inmate in Huaral, an event that led to the dismissal of the director of that prison. In parallel, threats have been detected against prison officials, such as the case of the director of the Chincha establishment, who received intimidating videos for opposing the transfer of an inmate.
The Piura prison faces a overcrowding crisiswith 4,435 inmates, despite the fact that its capacity is 1,070 people, which represents an overpopulation of more than 300%. Among the inmates, 2,372 are indicted and 2,063 have been sentenced.
