SANTO DOMINGO.- A National District court ruled to keep alleged hacker Jose A. Gomez Canaan (Jochy) behind bars, who’s being held since last week on charges of extortion by accessing more than 40 email accounts, including business leaders and government officials.

Justice Ministry Intellectual Property Dept. director German Vasquez said Permanent Attention judge Keila Perez Santana’s ruling against the defense’s writ of habeas corpus is legal and issued within the legal period.

He called the defense motion a "subterfuge" which in his view doesn’t apply in this case.

Defense challenges judge

Gomez's lawyers Carlos Balcácer said they filed a challenge against National District judge Jose Alejandro Vargas because he’s the one who issued the search warrants at the start of the case against his client.