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Probable cause found to try man for alleged burglary
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Posted on Jun 14 2019
The Superior Court found probable cause to put on trial the man who is accused of breaking into the home of NMI Museum executive director Daniel Aquino in April.
During the preliminary hearing yesterday, Joshua James Torres Cruz’s lawyer, Stephanie Boutsicaris of the Office of the Public Defender, informed the court that Cruz would be waiving his right to a preliminary hearing while still preserving his constitutional rights.
By waiving a preliminary hearing, probable cause is found by default to proceed with the charges against a defendant.
The court ordered Cruz to return to court on June 17 for an arraignment before Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert Naraja.
Heather Barcinas, Office of the Attorney General’s acting chief prosecutor, appeared on behalf of the government.
Cruz, 27, was arrested last June 4 after a confidential source gave the police a tip that led to Cruz’s arrest. He was arrested wearing some jewelry that Aquino later identified as that of his son’s.
The confidential source told police that two men may have been responsible for the burglary because they had some of the reported stolen items. However, after police spoke with both men, they both told police that they got the jewelry from Cruz.
One of the men, who is related to Cruz, told police that Cruz gave him the jewelry to pay off a $40 debt. The man, in turn, sold some of the jewelry to the other man, who sold them to multiple pawnshops on island.
The Aquinos were able to recover over $10,000 of their stolen jewelry.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, the Aquino residence in Susupe was broken into between 7am and 11am on April 23 and pieces of jewelry and more were taken.
The burglars reportedly rummaged through the house and stole only the jewelry box that contained many family heirlooms and sentimental jewelry.
Aquino said that some of the things that were stolen were their children’s jewelry that they grew out of, a gold bracelet with his wife’s name engraved on it that was given to her by her mother, a diamond ring, rubies, wedding coins, and more, many of which could not be replaced because of their sentimental value. Most of the jewelry and items stolen were given to them as keepsakes by family members.
