Jury trial of Ogumoro, Manglona reset to March 14

The jury trial of former Department of Public Safety deputy commissioner Ambrosio T. Ogumoro and Herman M. Manglona Jr. that was supposed to start today, Monday, has been rescheduled to March 14, 2016.

Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman ordered the new trial date after the parties in the case held an in-chamber conference with him on Friday afternoon.

In an order after the conference, Wiseman said he will issue an amended pretrial order. He did not indicate the reason for the new schedule.

A source disclosed that the reason was a medical matter. It is not clear who has a medical issue.

Present at the in-chamber conference were assistant attorneys general Matthew Baisley and Heather Barcinas, who are counsel for the government. Attorney Mark Hanson appeared for Ogumoro, while assistant public defender Matthew Meyer appeared for Manglona.

The jury selection scheduled for today, Monday, is cancelled.

The 57-year-old Ogumoro has been charged with eight counts relating to theft by deception, misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, removal of government property, and theft by unlawful taking.

The information charged Manglona with conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property.

Wiseman recently granted the government’s motion to dismiss the charges against Ogumoro’s other co-defendant, Katherine Manglona, a former police officer.

Katherine Manglona is Ogumoro’s girlfriend and sister of Herman Manglona.

According to the allegations, Ogumoro brought a 1995 Toyota Tercel that belonged to DPS to a shop to be repaired using DPS funds totaling $2,500 and then sold the vehicle as “scrap” for only $50 to Manglona.

Ogumoro also allegedly instructed a DPS staff to bring a DPS desktop computer to a shop for repair and the computer was allegedly later used in the office at True North Bar & Grill, which is owned by Ogumoro.

The trial of Ogumoro and two co-defendants in his other criminal case will commence on Jan. 18, 2016.

Ogumoro’s co-defendants are former Commonwealth Ports Authority police chief Jordon Kosam, and former CPA police captain John T. Rebuenog. Because of appeals, the case has been delayed for 10 months now.

The case stemmed from the defendants’ alleged role in shielding then-attorney general Edward Buckingham from being served with penal summons in 2012.

Ogumoro is facing 15 counts of criminal charges.

The case against three other co-defendants has already been resolved.