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5 charged for marijuana trafficking
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Posted on Nov 29 2004
Authorities nabbed five men, including a government employee, for allegedly trafficking marijuana to Navy investigators who posed as buyers in separate operations conducted jointly with the Department of Public Safety.
Superior Court judge Juan T. Lizama yesterday imposed a $60,000 bail on each of the five defendants, who face charges of trafficking and illegal possession of a controlled substance, and conspiracy.
Assistant attorney general Grant Sanders said four of the defendants work as security personnel at Garapan nightspots. The fifth defendant, Miguel Lieto, told the court that he is an employee of the CNMI’s Agriculture division.
Police identified the four other suspects as Danny Kalen, Freely Ringlen, George Chamokey, and Eddie Kileleman.
Documents submitted by police to the court showed that the defendants were nabbed pursuant to separate arrest warrants issued by Superior Court judge Kenneth Govendo, in three separate buy-bust operations last Nov. 9 and 10.
The defendants had allegedly planned to sell marijuana to visiting sailors from the USS Blue Ridge at a street price of $5 per stick.
Before the operations, special agents Michael A. Michell, Robert E. LeSane and Daniel N. Simpson of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Naval Criminal Investigative Service met with police detective Andrew S. Taimanao regarding the planned operations.
During yesterday’s bail hearing, Lizama said he would appoint lawyers to represent the defendants, who were apprised of their constitutional rights to remain silent and be represented in the case by attorneys.
Just before the hearing concluded, Lizama reminded the police officer escorting the defendants to stay alert, saying that there was a previous case wherein dissatisfied parties just jumped into the courtroom. A relative of two defendants stood from the gallery and tried to approach the bench, saying that he had property documents, apparently indicating that the two defendants would post a property bond.
Lizama instructed the man to show the documents to the two defendants’ lawyers. When the man insisted on speaking, the judge directed the man to step out from the court.
