Court approves psych assessment for alleged meth dealer

U.S. District Court NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona has granted Dwight Lee DLG Aldan’s unopposed motion for a psychiatric evaluation.

In an order last May 21, Manglona said the court agrees that a psychiatric assessment for Aldan is warranted based on what both parties have presented thus far.

The court order further states that the involved agencies—the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Probation Office, and the CNMI Department of Corrections—will schedule an expedited appointment for the psychiatric assessment, and that Aldan will be transported to the Family Care Clinic of the Commonwealth Health Center for this purpose. Once there, a licensed psychiatrist at the Family Care Clinic will perform an assessment “that must be tailored to determining whether Aldan is a danger to himself, others, or the community.”

The court also acknowledged what Aldan’s lawyer, Robert T. Torres, earlier stated in his motion filing that Aldan’s mental competency “is not at issue.”

The results of the assessment will be provided to Aldan through Torres, who will also submit the results to the U.S. Probation Office to be filed under seal.

Aldan’s next appearance in court was last May 24 for his detention hearing.

A grand jury had indicted Aldan with one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine last May 17 and an arrest warrant for Aldan was issued the same day. Aldan was then arrested in As Lito last May 18.

In the court order filed last May 21, Manglona acknowledged the United States’ three reasons for Aldan’s detention: (1) detention would ensure Aldan’s appearance before the court, (2) his detention ensures the safety of persons and the community, and (3) the two previously mentioned reasons are “in force” because of “the rebuttable presumption that Aldan’s offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment for 10 years or more per the Controlled Substances Act.”

According to Torres, Aldan allegedly “threatened to harm himself and law enforcement officers effecting the arrest” by holding a knife to his throat and threatening self-harm as well as making verbal threats to law enforcement. After the law enforcers calmly negotiated with Aldan, he surrendered the knife and submitted to being arrested.