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Ex-cop admits violating release conditions
Former police officer Florencio Q. Richards has admitted to allegations that he used methamphetamine or “ice” again and committed other violations while on supervised release.
At a revocation hearing on Tuesday, Richards admitted to violating his conditions of supervised release and stated he had just started a new job at a gas station.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona said that depending on how things progress for Richards, he will be sentenced on Dec. 22, 2015, at 11am.
Attorney Michael Dotts, the court-appointed counsel for Richards, stated that there were two violations his client admitted to, which was the use of “ice.”
Citing that Richards had recently started a new job, Dotts requested that a sentencing hearing be set in two weeks, so that the parties may try to work something out.
Assistant U.S. attorney Russell Lorfing said he was happy to hear Richards had found a job. He, however, stated that there needs to be consequences for Richards violating his supervised release conditions and that if he is not going to be forthcoming with the court and the U.S. Probation Office, he should be jailed.
Probation officer Gregory Arriola said the test results confirmed that the drug test sample was diluted.
Arriola alleged in the petition for revocation that Richards had used “ice” on Oct. 11 and 21, 2015, failed to submit for drug testing on Oct. 11, 2915, and failed to follow instructions from the probation officer to report for drug testing on Oct. 23, 2015.
In August 2011, the court sentenced Richards to 24 months in prison for distributing “ice” while he was still an active officer.
On Jan. 30, 2014, Manglona revoked Richards’ supervised release and sent him to three months in prison with credit for time served for using “ice” again. After serving his sentence, Richards was placed on 33 months of supervised release.
In December 2014, the court revoked Richards’ supervised release and slapped him with a nine-month prison term for violating his probation by repeatedly using “ice.” He was then placed on 24 months of supervised release.
