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Tinian man gets 60 days for gun possession
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Posted on Apr 19 2006
The Superior Court has imposed a 60-day prison term on a man accused of assaulting another man with a pistol on Tinian.
Associate Judge David A. Wiseman sentenced John Peter San Nicolas Sablan to one year in jail, all suspended except 60 days, for possession of a firearm without a valid identification card.
Following a plea agreement, Wiseman gave the 27-year-old Sablan credit for the eight days he had already served in jail.
The judge directed the defendant to start serving the remaining 52 days on June 1, 2006.
Wiseman placed Sablan on one-year probation and required him to pay a $500 fine and perform 80 hours of community work service.
The Attorney General’s Office charged the defendant in June 2005 with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm without a valid identification card, illegal carrying of a firearm, and using a firearm in connection with the commission of a crime.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years and three months in prison and a $25,100 fine.
Sablan and counsel signed a plea agreement with the government. He pleaded guilty to possession of firearm without a valid identification card. The remaining charges were dismissed.
Wiseman said he reluctantly accepts the terms and conditions of the plea agreement.
Police said that on May 22, 2005, Sablan was at the Port of Call, a bar on Tinian, where he met the victim, Herman Hocog.
Inside the bar a man was arguing with his girlfriend. Hocog tried to calm down the man, who was his relative, police said.
Sablan stood up and pushed Hocog on the chest. Hocog avoided arguing with Sablan and left the establishment.
Hocog and Sablan later met along the road. The defendant allegedly pushed the victim twice on the chest. The defendant pulled a pistol, but Hocog managed to twist his hand and slam him to the ground, police said.
The victim called the police.
