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Poker robbery suspect to testify as states witness
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Posted on Jul 21 2000
One of the six defendants on the poker robbery case in the U.S. District Court copped a plea agreement yesterday to two counts of robbery.
Sidney Kapelle Kani, 19, is expected to turn state witness against five of his friends charged by the federal government in connection with two robbery incidents last January.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed to drop other charges against him — two counts of conspiracy to commit offense — in exchange for his guilty plea.
Sidney will also receive jail term less than seven years as part of the agreement, much lower than the 40 years imprisonment he could get if a jury convicted him on the two robbery charges. Judge Alex R. Munson set his sentencing on October 24.
He is currently free on a $50,000 unsecured bail bond and is under the custody of his father, Isidro Kani, who appeared with him in court yesterday.
Sidney admitted guilt to robbing the Sun Poker arcade and LJ’s store on Saipan last January and fleeing with $2,200 cash after threatening and harming their cashiers. The crime spree was committed with five others who are now awaiting trial next month.
Assistant District Attorney David T. Wood said the other defendants have yet to strike a plea agreement with the prosecution.
His co-accused: Juan Dela Cruz Cango, 19; Kenneth Dowai, 23; Juan Teigita, 22; Rodney Demei, 22 and Jeffery Tegei, 21, pled not guilty to the charges of robbery, conspiracy and illegal possession of firearm.
The suspects were arrested last May by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police after an investigation was conducted on the robberies.
