Suspected ‘ice’ source arrested

CNMI Drug Enforcement Task Force agents arrested on Friday night in As Lito an alleged source of methamphetamine or “ice” and three other persons for conspiracy to commit trafficking “ice.”

The alleged “ice” source identified as Yan Long Yu, 32, was taken to the Superior Court yesterday for bail hearing on a charge of conspiracy to commit trafficking of controlled substance.

Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho, however, reset the bail hearing for today, Tuesday, at 9am because there is a need for a Chinese interpreter.

A $100,000 was bail was initially imposed on Yu.

Also arrested were Juan Delos Reyes Tydingco, 40, Jesse Aguon Villagomez, 50, and a woman. Saipan Tribune opted to withhold, for the meantime, the identity of the woman until charges are filed against her.

DETF agents, along with Department of Public Safety police officers and CNMI Customs K9 Unit, arrested the four while they were serving an arrest warrant to Tydingco at his residence in As Lito last Friday night.

Tydingco was arrested on charges of trafficking of controlled substance and illegal possession of controlled substance.

Villagomez was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit trafficking of controlled substance and illegal possession of controlled substance.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Camacho imposed a $100,000 cash bail each on Tydingco and Villagomez.

Preliminary hearing will be on Oct. 4, 2016 at 1:30pm.

Assistant public defender Tillman Clark was appointed as counsel for Tydingco, while a private counsel will be appointed for Villagomez.

Assistant attorney general Jonathan Glass Jr. appeared for the government.

DETF investigator Roque K. Camacho stated in his report that their cooperating source managed to purchase from Tydingco last Aug. 16 $140 worth of 0.83 grams of substance that was tested positive presumptive of methamphetamine or “ice.”

Camacho said Tydingco was driving a green Toyota Corolla during the drug deal that happened in the parking lot of a store in As Lito in the afternoon.

Camacho said that last Friday, he received a call from a police officer, informing him that he was entertaining a theft case filed by a woman against Tydingco.

The woman went to a motel in San Jose, where Tydingco is staying in one room, to ask for her laptop that the suspect allegedly stole from her last August.

The woman told police that while she was at Tydingco’s room, she saw a box of marijuana, a small bag of “ice,” and drug paraphernalia.

The woman said she saw Tydingco taking out a handgun and showing her a bullet.

The woman said when she saw the items, she turned away and immediately left the room. She also disclosed that she observed Tydingco armed with other guns since she met him last August.

Officer Camacho said that in 2010, Tydingco eluded police on board his pick-up truck to avoid getting arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant for narcotics investigation.

Officer Camacho said during the execution of that warrant of arrest, several ammunitions were discovered in Tydingco’s vehicle.

Officer Camacho said Tydingco was recently released from prison and has been arrested a couple of times in the past for narcotics violations.

DETF Officer Danny Joe O. Fitial stated in his report that they went to Tydingco’s house on Friday at 9pm to serve an arrest to Tydingco.

Fitial said as they arrived, a tinted silver Toyota Corolla quickly reversed toward the entrance.

Fitial said the car almost struck the front portion of his vehicle.

Fitial said he ran toward the driver’s side of the Toyota Corolla, instructed the driver, who was later identified as defendant Yu, to get on the ground, and secured him with handcuffs.

DETF agents arrested Tydingco and Villagomez, who hid at a saw grass.

DETF Rudolph C. Sablan Jr. stated in his report that during an interview, Tydingco confessed that Yu has been his source of “ice” for over a year now.

Sablan said according to Tydingco, prior to the arrival of DETF agents, Villagomez handed him $300 to help him buy “ice.”

Tydingco called Yu to buy $300 worth of “ice.”

The DETF reports did not mention what was the woman’s participation in the drug transaction.

Tydingco alleged admitted that he purchased “ice” worth $4,000 from Yu that day during eight transactions.