PUERTO RICO — Five members of Congress requested the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General to investigate why a federal probe into a Puerto Rican prison drugs-for-votes scheme was abandoned after the 2024 elections. The lawmakers urged the inspector general to examine the Justice Department’s decision not to pursue election fraud charges.

The May 20 letter was signed by Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. “Credible allegations of election fraud uncovered through federal investigative work warrant serious scrutiny and transparent explanation,” the members of Congress wrote.

The request followed a May 2024 investigation detailing how prosecutors uncovered a drugs-for-votes scheme run by a violent gang in Puerto Rican prisons and were investigating possible involvement by now-Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón or her campaign. In the days following Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, federal prosecutors preparing an indictment were instructed by supervisors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico to exclude voting-related charges against inmates and prison staff. After Trump took office, prosecutors were told to abandon the probe into potential political ties entirely.

An indictment filed in December 2024 charged 34 members of a gang known as Group 31 or Los Tiburones and associates with crimes including drug distribution resulting in at least four overdose deaths. The indictment alleged that the gang connected with government officials “for the purpose of reducing prison sentences” and told inmates “who to vote for in primary and general elections.” However, the indictment included no charges related to the drugs-for-votes scheme.

Gang leaders forced inmates to vote for González-Colón or face brutal beatings or be cut off from the drugs they were addicted to, according to people familiar with the investigation. Prosecutors had evidence that González-Colón had spoken with one of the prison gang leaders on WhatsApp during the primary campaign and were pursuing other potential ties to the scheme when they were instructed not to look any further.

“This has always been about following the facts and ensuring there is accountability,” Hernández Rivera said in an email. He added, “Given the concerns raised about the DOJ’s handling of the investigation and prosecutorial decisions, we believe an Inspector General review is the appropriate mechanism to independently examine what occurred and whether standards were applied consistently.”

González-Colón, a longtime Republican and member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, has not been charged with any crime. “I categorically reject any attempt to link me to unlawful conduct,” she said in a previous statement, adding she “has stood firmly against corruption” throughout her career. She has declined repeated requests for interviews and told local news outlets she did not think any investigation into the matter is warranted.

The inspector general’s office, which has jurisdiction over misconduct by Justice Department employees including the Bureau of Prisons, the FBI, and the DEA, declined to comment on the letter. W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, said his office does not comment on open cases. A spokesperson for the office stated that charging corrupt public officials “has always been and remains a top priority.”