u.s. supreme court thursday rule puerto rico pursue charge people crime federal authorities already prosecute deal blow u.s. territory claim state treat like one court rule 6-2 favor defendants luis sanchez valle jaime gomez vazquez charge illegally sell gun 2008 puerto rican authorities well federal prosecutors two plead guilty federal charge argue puerto rico indictments dismiss double jeopardy clause u.s. constitution bar people prosecute twice offense trial judge dismiss puerto rico charge reinstate appeal court march 2015 rule puerto rico supreme court rule prosecutors prompt territory appeal high court surface case criminal law also raise question extent caribbean island u.s. territory since 1898 sovereign power akin 50 u.s. state double jeopardy clause allow u.s. state federal government prosecute people separately action separate sovereign entities supreme court rule author justice elena kagan say original source power puerto rico constitution come u.s. congress via 1950 law put simply congress confer authority create puerto rico constitution turn confer authority bring criminal charge kagan write liberal justices sonia sotomayor whose parent puerto rico stephen breyer dissent experts saw federal government argument treat puerto rico separate governmental entity implications another issue deal territory debt crisis scenario argument could help establish legal precedent puerto rico sovereign entity possibly justify impose federal control board mechanism address puerto rico roughly 70 billion debt u.s. congress currently consider legislation issue supreme court expect rule end month another case involve puerto rico bid revive law would allow cut billions dollars debt public utilities key test quest weather crisis u.s. top court deal blow puerto rico sovereignty claim