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Drug court graduate arrested for alleged ‘ice’ trafficking
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Posted on Feb 27 2019
A former graduate of the Superior Court’s Drug Court program has been arrested anew for allegedly pushing methamphetamine hydrochloride or “ice.”
According to court information, Skyler James Benavente, 32, was arrested following a “buy-walk” operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Task Force on Jan. 31, 2019.
Benavente was ordered to post 10 percent of his initial $10,000 bail for his release.
Benavente was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 4 at 1:30pm; he will be arraigned on March 11 at 9am.
Court information states that a cooperating source informed task force officers on Jan 29 that Benavente was distributing ice to Saipan customers.
On Jan. 31, task force officers met with the cooperating source again for a sting operation to buy ice from Benavente.
At about 4:11pm, DETF officers recorded a phone conversation between the cooperating source and Benavente, during which Benavente told the cooperating source that he could provide him/her with ice but it would take about an hour and they would meet at Benavente’s residence.
Shortly after the phone conversation, Benavente texted the cooperating source that he had $50 worth of ice. DETF officers then equipped the cooperating source with a wire and $50 and they made their way to Benavente’s residence.
At 4:25pm, DETF officers set up surveillance around Benavente’s residence in As Lito and waited for the cooperating source to pull in for the transaction. Benavente then entered the cooperating source’s car upon arrival and made the transaction.
At 4:40pm, the cooperating source left Benavente’s house, met with DETF officers, and showed them what he allegedly got from Benavente—a small ziplock bag containing a crystalline substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine.
