Ex-probation officer arrested

While still on active duty, a former probation officer allegedly stole money from numerous probationers by collecting money from them and issuing fake receipts.

Robin Norita Sablan allegedly pocketed approximately $5,640 as a result of his scheme. He resigned as probation officer with the Office of Adult Probation when the Office of the Public Auditor and the Attorney General’s Investigations Unit placed him under investigation early this year.

Police arrested Sablan yesterday at 4:13am at the Saipan International Airport for theft and forgery. He was allegedly bound for Seattle, according to court documents.

The defendant allegedly admitted during an interview with an investigator on June 12, 2006 that he received payments from 11 probationers during his tenure as a probation officer. He confessed he did not deposit the money with the CNMI Treasury and, instead, used it to support his gambling and financial problems.

During a hearing yesterday afternoon, Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo ordered that Sablan’s bail be kept at $25,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the charges. The bail amount was earlier imposed by Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama.

Govendo set the preliminary hearing for Nov. 9.

Assistant attorney general Joseph Taijeron expressed concern over a potential problem when Sablan is taken back to detention considering that he was a probation officer and had dealt with prisoners.

Govendo agreed with Taijeron and advised a Corrections officer who had escorted Sablan to the courtroom to inform acting Department of Corrections Secretary Ramon C. Mafnas about the situation.

“We’re not going to put you at the Hyatt [Regency Saipan]. But at the same time there could be potential problem…” The judge told the defendant.

According to court papers submitted by an AGIU investigator, on March 21, 2006, CNMI Chief Probation Officer Ursula L. Aldan reported that then Probation Officer Sablan allegedly received money from numerous probationers and would issue fake receipts to cover his scheme.

Aldan apparently learned about the scheme when a probationer, accompanied by a translator from Joe Hill’s law office, appeared at the CNMI Probation Office in Susupe and reported about giving his payment to Sablan.

The probationer disclosed that on March 20, 2006, Sablan instructed him to pay him [Sablan] $850 as payment for special conditions ordered by the court on his traffic case.

The probationer and the translator, however, checked the Superior Court cashier, who then told them that the CNMI Treasury did not receive such payment under the probationer’s name.

OPA then conducted investigations and found out that there are 10 other probationers who also provided money to Sablan in settling their court-ordered special conditions.

On Wednesday, OPA received information that Sablan was attempting to renew his driver’s permit because he was leaving the island for Seattle anytime.