Ex-police officer Patris gets 9 yrs in prison

The federal court sentenced former police officer Charley K. Patris yesterday to nine years in prison for his role in stealing cash and illegal drug evidence from the Department of Public Safety.

“He [Patris] breached the public’s trust,” said U.S. District Court Chief Judge Alex R. Munson, adding that, as a police officer, Patris has a sworn duty to uphold the law and the integrity of the Department of Public Safety.

Munson described the crimes Patris committed as “horrible” in a civilized society and simply “unacceptable.”

Munson sentenced the 39-year-old Patris to 60 months for making false statements, 60 months for perjury, and 108 months for accessory after the fact.

The judge said that, after serving his prison term, the defendant would be placed on three years of supervised probation for three years for each three counts.

Munson said the sentences shall run concurrently. This means that the total prison term is 108 months or nine years in jail and three years of probation. Patris was given credit for the time he had already served in jail.

After serving the sentence, Patris, a Palauan, will be turned over to Immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

If no deportation takes place, the defendant is required, among other things, to perform 300 hours of community work service.

The judge ordered Patris to immediately pay $300 in special assessment fee.

Munson said the sentence was at the very lowest level in the sentencing guidelines.

“Quite frankly I wrestled [with] that for a while,” he said.

The sentencing guidelines level was between 108 months to 135 months. Assistant U.S. attorney Timothy Moran recommended the imposition of 135 months plus $50,000 fine.

Munson said he believes that the sentence is appropriate, to send a strong a message to the community and to deter other people from committing such crimes.

Before the sentencing was rendered, Patris was allowed to speak.

“What I am asking is mercy from the court…and be with my family, my children as they grow up,” said the teary-eyed Patris. “I want to be with my children. I want to help them grow up to be law-abiding citizens.”

Patris’ wife, Theresa, and their four minor children also testified in court. They begged the court for a lenient sentence.

Mrs. Patris described her husband as a family-oriented man.

“He spent so much time with us when he was not working,” she said, disclosing that yesterday was the 10th birthday of one of their sons. She also stated she is worried because Patris is diabetic.

Attorney G. Anthony Long, counsel for Patris, recommended a sentence of not more than five years.

Long said his client was not involved in drug dealing and not at all engaged in putting confiscated “ice” back into the streets and that the jury established that fact.

Long said Patris committed a mistake, perhaps because of his “misguided loyalty” to a friend, Eric John T. Mafnas.

Patris was found guilty on the charges of making false statements, perjury, and accessory after the fact. He was acquitted on the charges of conspiracy to commit theft, false statements and perjury; and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

On Wednesday, the court sentenced Mafnas to 19 years and seven months in prison.

The FBI tagged Mafnas as the organizer and leader of the criminal activity. Mafnas and Patris used to be assigned as detectives at the SIS. Their principal responsibility was to investigate drug crimes.

The prosecution alleged, among other things, that on May 13, 2003, Mafnas took from the DPS evidence room approximately 46 grams of “ice” that had been seized from a defendant.

The U.S. government said that on Dec. 22, 2003, Mafnas falsely told FBI agents that the 46 grams of “ice” had been burned pursuant to authorization provided to Mafnas by a CNMI assistant attorney general.

Patris allegedly falsely told FBI agents that he had seen a letter written by a prosecutor authorizing the destruction of 46 grams of “ice” that that been seized in the local prosecution of a defendant.

The FBI began investigating in December 2003 information that the evidence from a drug case was missing.