‘Ice’ maker gets 7 years, 3 months in prison sentence

The federal court sentenced a man to seven years and three months in prison yesterday after he pleaded guilty to conspiring with other to make the drug methamphetamine using the so-called shake-and- bake method.

Sidney Capelle Kani was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, plus 47 months for the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine on premises where a child is present and resides.

This means a total sentence of 87 months in prison—or seven years and three months.

He was given credit for time already served in prison since his arrest last year.

As part of his sentence, he will be made to undergo drug rehabilitation, an educational program, anger management, and alcohol abuse counseling while in prison.

Upon release, he will be on supervised release for three years.

As a further condition of his supervised release, Kani must participate in a substance abuse treatment program, refrain from the use of any alcoholic beverages, and perform 100 hours of community service. He was ordered to pay $100 in special assessment fee.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona granted the U.S. government’s motion to drop the remaining two charges against Kani.

Assistant U.S. attorney Garth Backe had recommended a sentence of 78 months in prison. Colin Thompson, the court-appointed counsel for Kani, recommended imprisonment of 70 months.

Kani pleaded guilty in May 2018.

In his sentencing recommendation, Backe said that Kani admitted that, over a two-month span, he obtained numerous items “to use to make meth” which he, along with the other conspirators, “would smoke, as well as sell and/or give to other people.”

Backe said that Kani admitted to acting as a middleman for a drug deal on Feb. 1, 2018.

In his admissions, Kani said that, between July 1, 2017, and Feb. 25, 2018, his co-defendants—Vincent David Cabrera Jr., Eugene Blas Repeki Jr., and Rick Urumelog Omar Jr.—along with others, agreed to manufacture and distribute meth.

Beginning at least Jan. 1, 2018, Kani knew of the group’s agreement to make and distribute meth and that he joined in the agreement.

The remaining defendants also pleaded guilty.

Last March 15, Manglona sentenced Cabrera and co-defendant Eugene Blas Repeki Jr. to 15 years imprisonment each.