SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Preparations for the provisional release of 10 Americans detained in Haiti on child kidnapping charges may be on hold after questions arose about a Dominican man who served as their legal adviser. Officials in the Dominican Republic said Jorge Puello did not have a license to practice law in his native country, and The New York Times reported the Haitian judge might delay the group's release because of questions about the adviser's possible links to a human trafficking case. Puello has been a high-profile advocate for the jailed Baptists as they navigate the Haitian justice system. He also now is in apparent violation of Dominican law for failing to register with the local bar association or obtain a license, said Jose Parra, vice president of the Dominican Lawyers Association. Parra said his organization was investigating the situation and might file a complaint with the Justice Department, which could pursue criminal charges. Dominican Police Chief Rafael Guzman Fermin issued a statement on Saturday that Puello has no criminal record in the Dominican Republic, but is under investigation. Puello declined to comment in a brief telephone interview on Friday, saying he would be busy in court representing a US firm seeking to establish a business in the Dominican Republic. He could not be located in court and did not return later phone calls. The Web site for Puello Consulting says it has offered "full legal services" for businesses in the Dominican Republic and elsewhere since 2005. The site was taken down Friday for unknown reasons. The New York Times first reported that authorities in El Salvador are investigating whether Puello is a man suspected of leading a trafficking ring in that country involving Central American and Caribbean women and girls.
