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US govt files charges vs ex-probation officer
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Posted on Apr 13 2008
The U.S. government has filed extortion charges against a former local probation officer who, while on duty, demanded and received money from numerous probationers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed last week an information charging Robin Norita Sablan with one count of extortion under color of official act.
Sablan, through counsel Joey San Nicolas, however, waived the indictment and entered a guilty plea.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and set the sentencing for July 15, 2008, at 9am.
Munson directed the U.S. Probation Office to file a pre-sentence investigation report to the court on or before June 10.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley recommended the temporary release of Sablan on an unsecured $5,000 bond.
San Nicolas did not object.
Munson granted the government’s request on among other conditions, that the defendant will not leave Saipan without court’s permission.
According to court documents, from Sept. 18, 2004, to March 20, 2006, Sablan, while employed as an assistant probation officer by the Commonwealth Adult Probation, demanded and received money from defendants under his supervision in return for promises of favorable official action with respect to said defendants’ terms of probation.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and $250,000 maximum fine.
Under the agreement, Sablan will be required, among other terms and conditions, to make restitution to each and every person from whom he extorted money in return for a promise of official action.
Police arrested Sablan in November 2006 and brought him to the Superior Court in connection with the same charges.
He was accused of pocketing approximately $5,640 as a result of his scheme. He resigned as probation officer with the Office of Adult Probation when the Office of Public Auditor and the Attorney General’s Investigation Unit placed him under investigation on the early part of 2006.
Sablan reportedly confessed receiving payments from 11 probationers and issuing fake receipts during his tenure as probation officer. He claimed he used the money to support his gambling and financial problems.
