Court sentences two in poker robbery

Two men convicted in two robbery incidents early this year on Saipan were given their punishment yesterday in the U.S. District Court, one of whom will serve four years in jail and the other freed under strict conditions.

Joaquin Dela Cruz Cangco, 19, and Rodney I. Demei, 23, each received separate sentence from District Judge Alex R. Munson following their plea agreement with federal prosecutors last August.

Joaquin is sent to federal prison after the judge meted a 48-month jail term, credited with the time served, for each of the robbery charges, which he will serve concurrently.

He expressed remorse for the crime and promised not to commit the same mistake. “I’m sorry for what I have done,” he told Judge Munson. “It will never happen again.”

Aside from imprisonment, Joaquin was ordered to undergo drug treatment, perform 300 hours of community service, and be placed on supervised release for three years for both charges upon serving his term.

The judge also required him to pay $200 in special assessment fee as well as restitution to three victims of the robberies whose payment he will share with four other defendants.

Two of the defendants were sentenced two weeks ago — 19-year old Sidney Capelle Kani to 35-months in jail; and Kenneth T. Dowai, 23, to eight years imprisonment.

Based on court papers, Joaquin, Sidney, Kenneth as well as Juan Teigita, 22, and Jeffery Tegei, 21, robbed Sun Poker of approximately $2,000 after beating its cashier Elahi Md. Ashik on Jan. 6.

They also robbed nearby establishment, LJ’s store, of $200 after pointing a .22 caliber rifle to cashier Huang Lin Mei on Jan. 26. The store is owned by Kim You Kyong.

Mr. Ashik will receive $800, Ms. Huang $817 and Mr. Kim $5,100 as restitution from the defendants. Juan and Jeffery are scheduled to be sentenced next week.

Rodney, on the other hand, was released from detention after Judge Munson sentenced him to time served and one-year supervised release for pleading no contest to one count and concealing and failure to report the Jan. 6 robbery to authorities.

While under such status, he will have to undergo drug treatment as he had violated his conditional release during the time he was awaiting his sentencing by smoking marijuana.

He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and to pay $100 in special assessment fee.

Rodney, along with four defendants, except Joaquin, were arrested last May by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police after an investigation was conducted on the robberies.

Joaquin was caught by FBI agents in Seattle, Washington last June after robbery, conspiracy and gun charges were filed by the federal government here. (Benhur C. Saladores)