Although the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives initially dismissed the complaint, the case caused a public uproar among local newspapers and received major media attention.

As a result, Governor Luis Fortuño and the PNP referred the case to the Department of Justice of Puerto Rico, and disqualified Rivera Guerra from running in the 2012 general election.

During his first term, he was one of the PNP members involved in a controversial riot at the Office of Women Affairs, which resulted in the detainment of several party leaders.

At the end of 2011, Ernesto "Junior" Robledo presented various complaints against Rivera Guerra claiming irregularities in properly registering his residence with the Property Tax Collection Center (CRIM), the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA).

On January 23, 2012, the House Ethics Committee determined that Rivera Guerra had committed no crime, but recommended that he be disciplined with a 10-day suspension due to his negligence in the issues regarding his properties.

[15][16] Minutes after the Ethics Committee made his decision, Governor Fortuño sent Rivera Guerra's case to the Department of Justice and said he would be evaluating his candidacy for the upcoming elections.

[20] On July 11, 2013, Rivera Guerra was sentenced to 40 days of community service, and was ordered to pay multiple fines that totaled $2,900.

In March 2011 he suffered major injuries that kept him away from attending House sessions for several weeks when he was run over by a car while he was riding a bicycle and exercising.