Morena Rial sentenced to three years in prison for home robberies

Morena Rial, daughter of prominent Argentine journalist and TV host Jorge Rial, has been sentenced to three years of effective prison time for her role in a series of home burglaries. The sentence was handed down by Judge María Coelho of the Oral Criminal Court No. 7 of San Isidro, who approved a simplified trial agreement reached in March between prosecutors and Rial's defense. Rial, 27, was convicted for her participation in robberies committed in the neighborhoods of Villa Adelina and Castelar. Following the sentencing, her defense team immediately requested conditional release, citing legal provisions. The judge has ordered a psychological evaluation before ruling on the request and has sought the prosecutor's opinion. Currently, Morena Rial is under house arrest, monitored by an electronic ankle bracelet, and is prohibited from using social media. Her lawyer has filed an appeal against the judge's sentence. Her accomplices, who did not appeal, have had their sentences finalized. The case against Rial and her alleged accomplices, Lautaro Ledesma and Alan Fernández, involved four incidents. Prosecutors had previously requested that the case proceed to trial, accusing Rial of double aggravated robbery due to the use of scaling and forced entry. One suspect, Luna González, remains at large. Evidence presented by the prosecution suggests active participation by the accused in the investigated events. Rial was reportedly detained following a robbery on January 18, 2025, at a vacant house in Villa Adelina while its owners were on vacation. The prosecution detailed a plan with a division of roles, involving Rial driving a getaway vehicle during one of the alleged crimes.

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The evidence collected allows us to suspect, with the degree of provisionality required at this stage, that the defendants and detainees have actively participated in the investigated events.