Man convicted in NMI’s first stalking trial

Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama has found Roger S. Castillo guilty of one count of stalking in the first-ever trial of that nature in the CNMI.

Lizama ruled on the bench trial on Tuesday.

According to assistant attorney general Jeffery Warfield, Lizama also convicted Castillo of three counts of violating an order of protection, and two counts of disturbing the peace.

The defendant was, however, found not guilty of two other charges—one count of stalking and one count of misdemeanor theft.

While the charges Castillo were convicted of carry no mandatory jail time, Warfield said he possibly faces as much as eight years in prison.

Stalking carries a five-year sentence, while a violation of an order of protection warrants a prison time of one year per count. The disturbing charge in this case does not carry any prison time, Warfied said.

While Castillo’s victim will not receive any restitution—as there were no physical injuries or damage to property incurred in this case—Castillo, however, faces a fine of $5,000 for stalking and $1,000 for disturbing the peace. He could also possibly be deported back to the Philippines after he has served his sentence, according to Warfield.

Police arrested the 50-year-old Castillo in San Vicente in July last year for allegedly stalking his former common-law wife.

Detective Andrea C. Ozawa stated in court papers that on June 15, 2007, at 10:48pm, the victim called the Department of Public Safety to report a stalking incident in As Lito. Ozawa said a police officer responded to an As Lito residence where the victim and her children were staying.

Ozawa said the police officer informed her that Castillo had been stalking the victim the whole day.

The defendant allegedly went to the victim’s work, followed her to a store, blocked the taxi she was on and even tried to run the taxi off the road.

Castillo sought police’s help when the defendant came to the house where the victim and children were staying and forced his way into the house.

Ozawa said the victim gathered her and her children’s personal effects and brought them to a shelter.

The following day, Ozawa said a police officer called her to alert the shelter staff not to pick up the victim at her place of work because Castillo was seen at the parking lot.

The victim’s co-worker called DPS to report Castillo’s presence, in violation of a temporary restraining order.

The victim said that Castillo called her at her work several times throughout the day, but she did not take the calls.

When the victim was about to leave work, she saw Castillo in a pickup truck at the parking lot. The victim’s co-worker asked Castillo to leave and not bother the victim. The co-worker decided to call police when the defendant refused to leave. Castillo left the place before police officers arrived.

In October 2004, Castillo was arrested and was in custody for 14 months for domestic violence.

In April 2007, Labor awarded Castillo $17,916 for unpaid wages, overtime, and liquidated damages that his former employers owed him before his arrest.

One of the two employers was the victim in the domestic violence case.

Labor records indicate that Castillo arrived in the CNMI in 1989 from the Philippines to work for a security firm. In April 2001, he transferred employment to Jeralyn Store where he worked as a commercial cleaner.