$2K bail for man arrested for alleged ‘ice’ possession

A $2,000 cash bail was set for a man whose car was stopped for a minor traffic infraction and was allegedly caught in possession of a controlled substance.

Derik Jonathan Reyes, 38, was arrested last Friday for illegal possession of a controlled substance that was allegedly found inside his vehicle after his car was searched when police noticed what looked to be a gun case.

Superior Court Associate Judge Theresa Kim-Tenorio originally set a bail of $100,000, but Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo later reduced it after arguments from Reyes’ lawyer, Office of the Public Defender’s Stephanie Boutsicaris.

Reyes was ordered to return to court on July 22 for a preliminary hearing and his arraignment on July 29.

During the bail hearing yesterday, Boutsicaris argued that the original bail of $100,000 was way outside bail schedule and should be lowered.

Office of the Attorney General’s Charles Lee did not oppose this but suggested lowering it to $50,000.

Govendo decided to go with the bail amount stated on the declaration of probable cause, which was $2,000.

According to the declaration of probable cause, police pulled Reyes’ black SUV over at around 3:15am last Friday night because he was driving without headlights.

Reyes had a passenger in the car, CNMI Drug Court program graduate Robert Camacho Torres, who allegedly possessed a controlled substance, too.

Police allegedly noticed that a black case labeled “Colt Governm. 1911” and a GoPro camera case in the back seat and made Reyes aware of what was spotted. Police immediately ordered Reyes and Torres to put their hands on the wheel and dashboard of the car. Torres, however, failed to comply so police opened the passenger door and immediately spotted a pipe, straw, and a Ziplock bag beneath the passenger seat before ordering both Torres and Reyes to exit the vehicle.

Police searched the black gun case and the GoPro case and were able to procure a glass pipe within the GoPro case.

A K-9 investigation was conducted after on both the car and Reyes and police were able to procure a silver-gray digital scale, a blue lighter, Ziplock bags containing a crystal-like substance, a broken glass pipe with residue, multiple Ziplock bags with residue, and more.

The bags containing a crystal-like substance tested positive for methamphetamine.