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Trial for former BMV director now set for August
The jury trial for the former director of the Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles has been tentatively continued to August.
According to an order issued by District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona over the weekend, Juana Deleon Guerrero’s trial, which was initially set for May 23, has been reset to Aug. 29, pursuant to a joint stipulation, or agreement, filed and signed by both parties in this case. However, the parties moved to seal the joint motion due to personal information.
“Based on all the parties’ joint motion, the court grants the motion to continue the trial. …Defendants’ jury trial is hereby continued to Aug. 29, 2023, at 10am. The court finds that the time between the filing of the motion through the new trial date is excludable under the Speedy Trial Act. Failure to grant the motion would deny the defendants reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence,” said Manglona.
Meanwhile, Saipan Tribune learned that Deleon Guerrero is still employed by DPS, but she is currently suspended. She was previously put on indefinite administrative leave but has since been suspended.
DPS Commissioner Clement Bermudes told reporters that no one has been appointed to take over Deleon Guerrero’s role at BMV as the case against the former director remains pending in federal court.
Assistant U.S. attorney Albert Flores Jr. filed the indictment against Deleon Guerrero in the U.S. District Court for the NMI last March on a charge of conspiring with others to unlawfully produce an identification document.
According to the indictment, Deleon Guerrero conspired with Li Yongde, also known as Ivan, from about Sept. 1, 2021, through about Oct. 31, 2022, to unlawfully produce a CNMI driver’s license.
Deleon Guerrero has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The indictment comes after the recent raid the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted on the bureau.
Back in December 2022, FBI agents raided BMV and the CNMI Department of Public Safety’s central office. FBI agents showed up unannounced at BMV and DPS central office in Susupe last Dec. 17, 2022, to carry out a search warrant issued for both offices.
