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Probable cause found against Rota cop in sexual abuse of minor girl
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho yesterday found probable cause to charge Rota Police Officer Melvin Maratita Manglona over the allegations that he sexually abused a 14-year-old girl.
At the preliminary hearing, Camacho found probable cause to believe that the crimes of two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree and one count of disturbing the peace were committed and that the 48-year-old Manglona may have committed the offenses.
Camacho ordered Manglona to answer the charges.
The judge dismissed the charge of assault and battery because it is a lesser included offense of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree.
It means that it is not necessary to charge assault and battery as it is already included in sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree.
Arraignment will be on Aug. 29 at 9am.
At the hearing, assistant attorney general Shannon Foley called to the witness stand Rota Police Detective Chloe Hocog, who narrated to the court about their investigation that led to Manglona’s arrest.
Assistant public defender Tillman Clark served as counsel for the defendant.
After the hearing, Manglona was remanded into the custody of the Department of Corrections.
AAG Foley stated in the information that Manglona sexually abused the girl in July and Aug. 11, 2016 on Rota.
Foley said the defendant touched the girl’s private part last Aug. 1, and caused her to have suicidal thoughts from July 2016 to Aug. 11, 2016.
Hocog stated in her report that the girl revealed that Manglona has been sexually abusing her since she was 9 years old and that the recent sexual encounter happened just last Aug. 11.
