Woman in ‘ice’ case pleads guilty

A woman who allegedly conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine or “ice” in the CNMI has pleaded guilty to the charges against her.

Mary Rose Chelo Herradura pleaded guilty last week before U.S District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona Manglona.

Herradura pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. She will be sentenced on April 2, 2021.

Because Herradura pleaded guilty to a class C felony, the maximum penalty is more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, restitution, and a $100 special penalty assessment. Aside from court-imposed penalties, Herradura also faces possible deportation.

According to factual basis of the case, between Sept. 20 and 29, Herradura’s allowed her co-defendant, Jesse Reyes Babauta, to have envelopes containing methamphetamine mailed to her private postal box in Garapan. Herradura would retrieve the envelopes and deliver them to Babauta knowing that he would later distribute them to other people.

According to Saipan Tribune archives, Herradura tested positive for methamphetamine multiple times while out on probation and admitted to using “ice” because she was nervous for a court hearing.

On Oct. 20, probation officer Juanette David-Atalig submitted Herradura’s treatment referral documents to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s Community Guidance Center.

Herradura reported back to the probation office on Nov. 9 to sign related documents but the defendant was observed to be slurring her speech and had odd mannerisms. However, when asked about drug use, Herradura at first denied it but later admitted using methamphetamine on the evening of Nov. 6.

Herradura explained that a friend had stopped by her apartment to visit and began to smoke the drug in front of her. She said she asked her friend to stop what she was doing, but she ignored her. The defendant eventually gave in and ended up smoking with this individual.

On Nov. 11, Herradura notified the probation office that the sweat patch she had on for monitoring purposes had fallen off because she was sweating after catching a fever, but a probation officer told her that her explanation was highly unlikely. She was then subjected to a drug test, which tested positive for methamphetamine. Herradura then admitted that she used meth on Nov. 9 and said that she removed the sweat patch from her arm.

On Nov. 17, Herradura tested positive for meth use again after a random test.