Sentenced Judge Continues On the Bench During Appeal
A court judge sentenced for sexual abuse continues at his post. Judge Gerardo Calero Miranda of the Saripiquí court, was accused for the sexual abuse of a 14 year old girl and sentenced to 5 years prison. However, since Calero has filed an appeal, Calero continues at his job and has area residents fuming.

The sentence was handed down on June 27 of 2005 following accusations of that dates back to 2002 when the judge was teaching at a community theatre workshop.

Calero appealed the court's decision claiming he is being persecuted. But, what surprised residents is that Calero can continue on the bench during the appeal.

One of the area residents to complain and justly, perhaps, is José Batista, who is on trial in Sarapiquí and in front of Calero. Another area resident, Ballardo Castillo, is in six months preventive detention, ordered by Calero, accused, of no less, than a sex crime.

Castillo says that it is not just that here is sits in jail, sent there by a man who himself has been accused and sentenced.

Attempts to talk to Calera has been fruitless. A channel 7, Telenoticias, news team tried to interview Calero on camera. The best the news team could do is talk to Calero's without the camera, who is complete confident that the sentence will be overturned.

"I understand the thinking of people in relation to my position, which, thanks to God, are only a few, because many residents and neighbours have showm me tremendous support and solidarity", said Calero after it being cleared by his lawyer.

However, the is more to the Calero story. It seems that the judge was sanctioned in October of 2004 b the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, following a judicial inspection. The judge was suspended without pay for three months, because he was being tried in a criminal matter after been named as judge.

And in 1997 Calero's notary license was suspended for a month for having recorded a marriage without demanding identification from the parties tying the knot.