“El Abusador” - Profile of Dominican drug lord Cesar Emilio Peralta-Adamez, alleged to be behind hit on MLB star David Ortiz

By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc.

Dominican drug lord Cesar Emilio “El Abusador” Peralta-Adamez allegedly leads a transnational criminal organization based in the Dominican Republic with connections to suppliers in Colombia and Venezuela. He was also rumored to be behind the shooting of a Major League Baseball legend.

On November 28, 2018, Peralta was charged with conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine into the United States and with distributing five kilograms or more of cocaine for purposes of unlawful importation into the United States.

Four properties and one business in the Dominican Republic controlled by Peralta were seized: the Flow Gallery Lounge in Santo Domingo; La Koura Club in Santo Domingo; Aqua Club, in Santo Domingo; Al Panino, in Santo Domingo; and Peralta Investment, SA.

Peralta’s organization has been investigated by agents assigned to the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF) since 2017. The CCSF is a multi-agency strike force comprised of federal and state law enforcement agencies.

On August 20, 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Peralta and his organization as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act).

Disrespect by a Major League Baseball star

10226835085?profile=RESIZE_400xKingpins with lots of money like to flaunt their wealth. “El Abusador” was no different. He enjoyed being out and about, hitting the clubs. Of course, a party is only as good as the crowd attending.

According to an investigation by former Boston police commissioner Ed Davis, which was released by the Boston Globe on March 19, 2022, Peralta had several aggravating run-ins with none other than Major League Baseball (MLB) legend David Ortiz (right). Nicknamed “Big Papi”, Ortiz made his name while playing for the Boston Red Sox where he won three World Series championships.

Ortiz is a bonafide star. One that shines so bright, people tend to ignore someone like Peralta. Davis alleges that Peralta was so infuriated by Ortiz that he ordered a hit on the baseball champion.

Shot in the back

On June 9, 2019, Ortiz was hanging around at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. While having a fun time, he had his back to a man who stepped off a motorcycle. The man pulled out a gun and shot Ortiz in the back. In the heat of the moment, the gunman also shot Jhoel López, a Dominican TV host who was with Ortiz, in the leg.

Ortiz underwent several serious surgeries and managed to pull through. Surgeons removed a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder.

Authorities could and would not accept such a brazen hit on one of their most beloved sports heroes. They cracked down hard. Suspects were arrested and a motive behind the murder attempt was found.

The Dominican Attorney General's office said that this had been a case of mistaken identity. The assassin had been acting on orders of Mexican cartel honcho Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez, whose cousin Sixto David Fernández was a regular patron at the bar and the intended target.

Alberto Miguel Rodriguez Mota was sent into the bar to take a look and shoot a picture of the target. As happens so often in a bar, the picture was quite blurry. Still, he sent it to the gunman, who then came in and fired one bullet into Ortiz’s back.

Not quite happy with the outcome, Ortiz hired Davis to do another investigation. Davis’ findings pointed the finger at Peralta as the mastermind behind the failed hit. He had allegedly placed a bounty on Ortiz’ s head after the MLB star had disrespected him.

Capture and extradition

10226835675?profile=RESIZE_400xIn the months after the shooting of Ortiz, Peralta (right) was feeling the heat. Whether or not he was the man who ordered the hit on Ortiz, the fact that such a famous man was shot resulted in enormous pressure on the local underworld.

Peralta was already under indictment and felt authorities were getting closer. In coordination with foreign officials, U.S. investigators located Peralta in Cartagena, Colombia, where he was arrested on December 2, 2019 at the request of the United States. He was extradited on December 22, 2021.

If convicted, Peralta faces a possible sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for all the drug trafficking charges. Whether he will ever be convicted for his alleged role in the shooting of Ortiz remains to be seen.

Copyright © Gangsters Inc.

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