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RAYMOND ROBERTO CASE
At 7th day of jury selection, federal jury finally empanelled
The federal court yesterday afternoon finally completed the jury selection in the trial of former acting CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife director Raymond Borja Roberto.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona empanelled 16 jurors, including two alternates, during the seventh day of jury selection—said to be the longest selection in the CNMI so far.
Manglona ordered the jurors and the parties in the case to come back for the trial today, Wednesday, at 8am. Counsels’ opening arguments are expected to commence.
Assistant U.S. attorney Rami S. Badawy and U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and NMI Alicia A.G. Limtiaco are prosecuting the case.
Guam attorney David J. Lujan and Saipan lawyer Joaquin Torres are private retained counsel for Roberto. The defendant has also three private investigators—John Mantanona, Edward Chaco, and Christopher Leon Guerrero, who is a Saipan lawmaker.
The indictment alleged that Roberto persuaded three underage girls to have sex with him from March 1, 2013, to July 18, 2013.
In the witness tampering case, it was alleged that while Roberto was detained pending trial, he attempted to influence the testimony of an individual on April 24, 2014.
Roberto pleaded not guilty.
