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Farm owner facing firearms possession charges
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Posted on Sep 12 2005
A farm owner is facing criminal charges after government operatives allegedly seized firearms and suspected marijuana plants from his house in Kannat Tabla.
The Attorney General’s Office charged Augustin N. Castro, 22, with four counts of illegal possession of a firearm. However, the criminal information against Castro, which the AGO filed with the Superior Court recently, contained no charges relating to the defendant’s alleged possession of marijuana.
CNMI chief prosecutor Jeffrey Moots said Castro possessed four rifles without an identification card that would show that he was eligible to possess the firearms.
Drug Enforcement Task Force members swooped down on Castro’s farm last April 7 after receiving a Crime Stoppers tip that Castro has been growing and selling marijuana.
In an affidavit submitted to the court, police detective Elias Quitugua Saralu said task force members first spotted marijuana on a pickup truck parked within Castro’s farm. Operatives then inquired with Castro if he owned the plants, but the defendant initially denied their ownership.
Saralu said the defendant consented to a search within his residence, provided that only detective Norman Rasiang would enter his house. But even before Rasiang could enter the house, Castro allegedly admitted possession of 16 marijuana plants inside the house, took them out, and voluntarily surrendered them. Later, the defendant allegedly admitted owning the marijuana at the pickup truck.
Operatives found the guns after conducting a search inside Castro’s residence. Based on the police investigation, the defendant claimed that the marijuana plants belong to him and his father, while the latter also owns one of the guns.
Task force members arrested Castro, but the defendant has reportedly posted bond for his temporary release.
