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7 in prison chaos charged
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Posted on Apr 02 1999
The federal grand jury yesterday indicted seven prisoners on charges of hostage-taking during the recent prison siege on Saipan.
In a press release, the court named William C. Sablan, Vicente Aldan Jr., Ryan Babauta, Arcel Basto, Jeffrey Celis, Edwin Blas and Sheldon Yano in a two-count indictment that alleges them as the group who took other inmates during the jail hostage drama.
The seven also conspired to threaten, oppress, intimidate and physically assault other inmates in the CNMI Male Detention Center.
Reportedly, Chinese nationals and a Filipino, who were at the detention center together with these seven prisoners, were brutally beaten with fists and objects. They were also forced at gun point to strip naked and beg for food and water. The stolen gun was pointed directly at their heads and had the trigger pulled near to their heads during several occasions.
The seven defendants are scheduled to be arraigned at the U.S. District Court on Saipan today.
Their conviction would mean life imprisonment in federal prison.
This case is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Wood who will be assisted by Attorney Gregory Baka.
Charges filed are based from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force investigation jointly conducted with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and CNMI Department of Public Safety.
