Shooting range master arrested

The Department of Public Safety’s shooting range master was arrested yesterday on allegations he beat up his wife and for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunitions.

According to papers filed by the police in Superior Court, defendant Ambrosio T. Ogumoro was also allegedly involved in gun smuggling and that he threatened he would kill Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and blow up DPS.

Ogumoro was detained on charges of assault and battery, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunitions. A $1 million cash bail was imposed for his temporary release. He was taken to a bail hearing yesterday afternoon before Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja.

Ogumoro is the weapons specialist for the DPS who is also assigned as official armorer. He is also in charge of the Armory Unit and the Firearms and Criminal Records Section. His brother is the current acting police director Capt. Aniseto Ogumoro.

DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau chief Maj. Edward H. Manalili said members of the department’s Tactical Response Enforcement Team, with the assistance of some CIB detectives, arrested Ogumoro yesterday between 9am and 10am in front of the DPS central office building in Susupe.

The arrest was made pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the Superior Court. The defendant did not resist arrest, according to Manalili.

Manalili said the arrest stemmed from an alleged domestic violence incident that happened in October 2005 that was only recently reported to the police.

The CIB chief said Ogumoro was also found in possession of a non-DPS-issued rifle and ammunitions.

Court papers indicate that police actually recommended a $5 million bail for Ogumoro, citing the dangerous circumstances in the case. But Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona imposed a $1 million cash bail.

Detective Christopher Leon Guerrero stated in his report that on Feb. 3, 2006, a detective reported to DPS about a domestic violence incident involving Ogumoro that happened on Capitol Hill.

During his interview with the victim the following day, Leon Guerrero said he learned that the alleged assault happened in October 2005.

Leon Guerrero said that Ogumoro and his wife had been arguing at their house at that time when the defendant got mad and slapped the victim on the face.

The victim sustained bruises and complained of pain in her right ear. Two of their children witnessed the incident.

Ogumoro allegedly pulled the victim’s hair and a chunk of it came off. The son got between them and tried to stop the defendant but Ogumoro struggled and slapped the victim again on the face.

By then, both children were screaming at Ogumoro to stop him from hitting their mother.

The victim and the children then ran outside the house and stayed overnight in a hotel.

The victim, however, did not report the incident to police due to fear.

Leon Guerrero said the suspect has been involved in prior domestic violence incidents with the victim, including punching, slapping, pushing and pulling the victim’s hair.

The detective said Ogumoro made threatening remarks that he is “ready for whoever officers will approach him” and that he would “shoot them” because he had a gun.

Leon Guerrero said that on Feb.6 he conducted an investigation at Ogumoro’s residence where they recovered a rifle—a U.S. M1A Springfield Armory rifle—with 20 rounds of magazine and 16 rounds of high-powered ammunitions.

The detective said a family member saw the defendant displaying a lot of guns on a long table, including six Uzis, three 12-gauge shotguns, several M-16 machineguns, and several revolvers and pistols and ammunitions.

Leon Guerrero said it was alleged that Ogumoro’s brother, Capt. Aniseto Ogumoro, was present when the guns were displayed on the table.

These firearms were allegedly used for target practices at a farm area and some were reportedly given away to the defendant’s close friends.

One of the handguns that was given to another family member was fired during Christmas in 2005, Leon Guerrero said.

These illegal firearms, Leon Guerrero said, were possibly smuggled in when the defendant returned to Saipan from the U.S. mainland.

Leon Guerrero said the defendant made threatening remarks that he would “blow up DPS” and that he will “shoot the politicians and bring them down” should something happen to him.

He also made a comment that he would “shoot the governor if he finds out that he [Ogumoro] was involved,” Leon Guerrero said.