2 copper wire thieves plead guilty, get prison term

Two notorious copper wire thieves were slapped with prison terms Tuesday last week after pleading guilty to theft for stealing 139 feet of copper wire at the former Capital Bowling Center in Garapan and admitting to violating the terms and conditions of their probation in previous criminal cases.

Aldan Kaainoa Ogarto, 35, and Barry Lloyd G. Lizama, 44, pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal.

Ogarto was sentenced to a prison term of four years and three months imprisonment, with credit for time served since Sept. 9, 2016.

Lizama was slapped with a total imprisonment of three years and five months, with credit for 144 days of time served.

After serving their sentences, they will be placed on supervised probation for five years. They were each ordered to pay a $500 fine and $100 in court costs.

They were also required to perform 300 hours of community service and complete drug and alcohol counseling.

Restitution hearing will be on Feb. 28, 2017.

As part of the plea deal, the remaining charges of conspiracy to commit theft and criminal mischief were dropped.

Ogarto and Lizama stole 139 feet of copper wire from Forson Holdings, LLC (formerly the Capital Bowling building) in Garapan on July 21, 2016. The value of the copper wire was estimated at more than $250 but less than $20,000.

Ogarto also admitted violating his probation in a previous case by failing to report to the Office of Adult Probation, paying his fine, assessment fee, and probation fee, performing community service, and failing to obey laws.

Lizama also admitted violating his probation in a previous case by failing to pay his fine, assessment fee, and probation fee, and by failing to obey all laws.

Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig is counsel for Ogarto, while Daniel Guidotti is counsel for Lizama.

Police arrested Ogarto and Lizama last September after a witness called the police after he saw two men, later identified as Ogarto and Lizama, getting rolls of copper wire from a trunk of a car at Lower Miha Housing area at night on July 21, 2016.

Police said that based on court records, Lizama was on supervised release after being imprisoned on Nov. 9, 2015. Among the conditions of his supervised release is that Lizama shall not engage in any activity involving electrical or copper wires.

In October 2015, a tip to a police detective led to Lizama’s arrest for stealing copper wire from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s power pole on Capital Hill.

In August 2011, police arrested Ogarto who was caught in the process of stealing copper wire along Beach Road’s pathway.

Police said Ogarto’s action affected the pathway’s wiring system from Oleai Beach Club down to DPS’ fire station in western Garapan.