Man who threatened neighbor with gun gets 10 years in prison

The Superior Court has sentenced a man to a 10-years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to threatening his neighbor with a gun back in September 2022.

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo sentenced Julian Thomas M. Sablan to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.

The defendant was initially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace. However, pursuant to his plea agreement, all but the assault with a dangerous weapon charge was waived.

Although Sablan was sentenced to 10 years, he will only be serving four years as his sentence is all suspended except for four years. Govendo also gave Sablan credit for 98 days of time served.

As part of his sentence, Sablan will pay a total of $300 in court costs and fine. He will also be placed under supervised probation for five years beginning on Sept. 28, 2026, when he is released from prison. In addition, Sablan was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

A repeat offender, Sablan, 33, was arrested in September 2022 for, among other things, pointing a gun at his neighbor’s head at a store in Garapan.

According to the initial complaint against Sablan, the victim said he was walking from his house at Lower MIHA and was headed to a store when he saw a white car to his left driving toward him at high speed.

He said he jumped to avoid the car from hitting him, but the vehicle still hit his left leg, causing him to land on its hood and then fall to the ground.

According to the victim, he did not know the driver at that time until the driver got out of the vehicle and the victim realized that it was his neighbor, Sablan.

The victim said Sablan got out of the car holding what appeared to be a gun and started walking toward him while he was still on the ground.

He said when he got up, Sablan wrapped his left arm around the back of his neck and pointed a gun to his head.

The victim said he tried to take his phone out from his pocket during the altercation to call the police but Sablan grabbed his phone. The victim said he managed to get his phone back when the storekeeper came out and warned the two that he would call the police.

This prompted Sablan to walk toward the storekeeper and point the gun at him, threatening to go back into the store or he would kill him too.