Homeland Security’s employee, boyfriend allegedly steal 4 TVs

An employee of the CNM Office of Homeland Security was arrested along with her boyfriend on Wednesday night for allegedly stealing four federally funded 42-inch LG flat screen TVs that were installed inside the Emergency Operation Center on Capital Hill.

Martina Castro, 33, and her boyfriend, Joseph Junior Olaitiman Borja, 34, were arrested in Oleai on charges of receiving stolen property.

Saipan Tribune learned that Castro is a radio dispatcher at Homeland Security but she stopped reporting for work after police recovered one of the stolen TVs early this week.

At yesterday’s hearing, Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo retained the $10,000 cash bail the court earlier imposed on each defendants. Preliminary hearing will be on Dec. 11 at 9am.

Police detective Catherine B. Pangelinan stated in her report that a police officer was dispatched to the Homeland Security office on July 15, 2014, at 3:52pm after CNMI Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management special assistant Marvin K. Seman reported that four TVs worth a total of $5,600 had been stolen from the Emergency Operation Center.

Pangelinan said she and another detective later met with Seman, who disclosed that while he was going through some of the surveillance footage, he noticed that whenever Castro was on duty every after midnight, the camera inside the operation room would be moved away from its main location. After 3am, the camera would be back to its normal place.

There was also footage showing that Castro would bring in her boyfriend, Borja, into the Emergency Operation Center after midnight, which is against policy.

There was also a footage and picture of Borja carrying what appears to be a TV on his back covered with a white blanket and walking out of the exit door of the Homeland Security building.

Pangelinan said that, on Tuesday, a male individual was arrested for theft of a flat screen TV.

Pangelinan said the victim in this case provided information that her TV is at the residence of Virginia Faisao in Kagman 3.

Pangelinan and another detective proceeded to the house of Faisao, who showed her a flat screen TV that she allegedly bought from Castro and Borja for $100. Faisao agreed to hand over the TV to police for investigation. The TV’s serial number in the back had been scratched off but the model number was still intact.

Faisao said that Castro also sold her a Sony Vaio laptop but she pawned it to Villaroyal Pawnshop in Chalan Kanoa.

Pangelinan said that she met again with Seman, who identified the TV as one of those stolen from Homeland Security. Seman was able to identify the TV because the bracket on the back of the TV was still attached and the other half of the bracket is still mounted on the wall inside the Emergency Operation Center.