Acting police director arrested

Police arrested over the weekend the acting police director, Capt. Aniceto T. Ogumoro, after they raided his house on Capitol Hill where they allegedly recovered three rifles and 25 boxes of ammunitions.

Capt. Ogumoro did not resist arrest when police officers led by Sgt. Anthony Macaranas served him the arrest warrant on Saturday at 9:23pm. The warrant was issued by Superior Court Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona.

Capt. Ogumoro was detained at the Department of Corrections’ detention facility on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions, and illegal carrying of firearms.

Manglona earlier imposed a $300,000 cash bail for the temporary release of the acting police director but during a bail hearing yesterday, Associate Judge David A. Wiseman modified the bail from $300,000 cash to $50,000 cash or property bond.

Attorneys Viola Alepuyo and Joseph James N. Camacho represented the police captain. Chief Prosecutor Jeffery Warfield Sr. appeared on behalf of the government.

The arrest of Capt. Ogumoro was made a day after police arrested his brother, Department of Public Safety range master Ambrosio T. Ogumoro, on allegations he beat up his wife and for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunitions.

The Ogumoro brothers are neighbors on Capitol Hill.

Police said they recovered a Remington rifle with a weaver scope, a Ruger Mini 14 caliber .223 rifle, and a Colt AR 15 rifle during the raid at Capt. Ogumoro’s residence.

Detective Christopher Leon Guerrero stated in his report filed in court that a field test was performed on the AR 15 assault rifle and that it was presumed to be a full automatic machine gun.

Leon Guerrero said that police also found 25 boxes (each box containing five rounds) of Winchester super buckshot 12-gauge rounds.

Leon Guerrero said their investigation shows that Capt. Ogumoro was never issued a license to possess or carry such firearms and ammunitions in the Commonwealth.

The detective said that on Thursday, Judge Manglona issued a search warrant for the premises of the two-story concrete house belonging to Capt. Ogumoro.

Tasked to execute the search warrants were the DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Terrorism Intelligence and Prevention Section, Tactical Response Enforcement Team, the Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Special Response Team, and the CNMI Customs Services.

Upon serving the search warrant, Leon Guerrero said he was directed by Capt. Ogumoro’s wife to the master bedroom located on the second floor of the house.

Leon Guerrero said he found the three rifles and the ammunitions in the bedroom’s closet.

The detective said that, upon seeing the firearms and ammunitions being taken from his house, Capt. Ogumoro asked that he be provided a copy of the firearms inventory.

Among those covered by the search warrants were a cargo container and a bunker located behind the captain’s residence.

Meanwhile, Wiseman modified yesterday the $1million cash bail imposed for the temporary liberty of Ambrosio Ogumoro. The judge allowed the defendant to post $1 million in property bond.

Citing that Ambrosio Ogumoro poses a risk to the community and the seriousness of the charges, including the threat to kill Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, the judge set many bail conditions.

The defendant’s two sisters would serve as third party custodians.

Former Presiding Judge Edward Manibusan served as counsel for Ambrosio Ogumoro.

The shooting range master was detained on charges of assault and battery, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunitions.

Police said Ambrosio Ogumoro was also allegedly possibly involved in gun smuggling and that he threatened to kill Fitial and blow up DPS.

Ambrosio Ogumoro is the weapons specialist for the DPS who is also assigned as its official armorer. He is in charge of the Armory Unit and the Firearms and Criminal Records Section.