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Charges vs man accused of sexual abuse are dismissed
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho found no probable cause yesterday to charge a 49-year-old man of sexually abusing two minors.
At the preliminary hearing in the case against Miguel Cecilio Arrozal, Camacho determined that assistant attorney general Teri Tenorio, counsel for the government, failed to ask any questions as to two counts of disturbing the peace.
As to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree, Camacho said that Tenorio failed to ask any questions as to the identification of Arrozal and his age.
“The government failed to prove essential elements as to all four counts,” said the judge. He dismissed the four charges without prejudice, which means the prosecution may re-file the case in the future.
Camacho vacated the July 24 arraignment and ordered Arrozal’s release from custody.
Assistant public defender Jamal Saleh is counsel for Arrozal.
The prosecution called to the witness stand the officer in charge of the case, detective Catherine Pangelinan.
Arrozal was accused of sexually abusing two girls, aged 8 and 10, in May on Saipan.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney General has filed two counts of disturbing the peace charges against Darwin Barbo, a 34-year-old hotel employee accused by a woman of kissing and inappropriately touching her in an elevator last June 28.
Barbo, through assistant public defender Cindy Nesbit, pleaded not guilty on Monday.
A status conference will be held on Sept. 11, 2017.
According to assistant attorney general Betsy Weintraub in the information, Barbo touched the victim in an offensive manner, causing her to push him away.
Weintraub said Barbo also followed the victim against her will, causing her to become afraid.
