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Man who faces federal charges in the CNMI arrested in Wisconsin
Discussions continue whether to bring back from Wisconsin a man who is facing federal charges in the CNMI but fled before being arrested and was eventually caught there.
During a status conference for Bonifacio “Boni” Sagana on Wednesday, District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge told the parties involved that she called the status conference to discuss whether Sagana will return to Saipan or if the case will be remanded back to Wisconsin.
Sagana appeared telephonically out of custody and was represented by his lawyer, Richard Miller.
Aside from repatriating the defendant, the judge also discussed the possibility of setting an arraignment for Sagana.
After hearing from the counsels, Kennedy set a status conference for June 29, to further discuss the matter and granted leave for Sagana to appear by telephone for now.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government, through assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Backe, said he will report on the U.S. Marshal’s ability to transport Sagana to Saipan, if needed.
According to court documents, the U.S. District Court for the NMI issued an arrest warrant for Sagana following a grand jury indictment back on Jan. 31, on the charge of conspiring with others to unlawfully produce a CNMI driver’s license.
However, Sagana fled the CNMI before he could be arrested and was only arrested on May 16, in Wisconsin.
Sagana was allegedly identified by other defendants facing the same charges as the person who arranged for them to fraudulently obtain a CNMI driver’s license using a counterfeit U.S. immigration visa number.
According to documents from the Eastern District Court of Wisconsin, Sagana, a U.S. permanent resident, appeared at an initial hearing on May 16, before Judge James R. Sickel.
The judge released Sagana under his own recognizance, but he was also ordered to appear before the District Court for the NMI when directed to do so.
The charge against Sagana is punishable by up to a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
