Ex-baseball coach gets 8 years for sex abuse

The Superior Court yesterday slapped a former coach of the Little League’s baseball team with an eight-year prison sentence for sexually abusing and sexually assaulting two boys.

Associate Judge David A. Wiseman sentenced Ramon Camacho San Nicolas to 20 years in prison, all suspended except for the mandatory minimum term of eight years, and a $5,000 fine, for sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree. Wiseman also sentenced the defendant to 10 years in prison, all suspended except for five years, and a $1,000 fine, for sexual assault in the second degree.

The judge said the sentences would run concurrently. This means the total prison term for San Nicolas is eight years in prison plus a $5,000 fine.

Wiseman gave the defendant credit for the two years he had already served in jail.

He placed the defendant on probation and required him to register as a sex offender and submit to HIV testing.

San Nicolas is prohibited from contacting the victims or having direct contact with any other minors during the probationary period.

The judge ordered him to pay, if any, future psychological expenses to the victims and required him to perform 500 hours of community service.

He ordered San Nicolas to pay a $100 court assessment fee plus probation fee.

Wiseman said the community has launched a campaign against child abuse and “this court supports such campaign.”

He said the sentence is appropriate considering the seriousness of the crimes committed and to send a strong message to other potential child abuse offenders.

In this case, Wiseman said, defendant’s action has caused trauma not only to the victims but their entire families as well.

He said one of the victims has been ridiculed by his peers and is so ashamed of himself.

Wiseman also noted that San Nicolas is not a stranger to the criminal justice system, having been convicted for assault and battery in 2006.

Before the sentence was rendered, San Nicolas asked for forgiveness from the victims and their families.

“I pray day and night. I promise it will not happen again,” he said.

The Attorney General’s Office charged the defendant with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree in June 2006.

San Nicolas and counsel Herbert D. Soll signed a plea agreement with the government, represented by assistant attorney general Rebecca Warfield.

Last April, San Nicolas pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree and one count of sexual assault in the second degree.

According to the plea agreement, San Nicolas will be sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison and a maximum $50,000 fine.

The factual basis of the plea agreement stated that on May 31, 2006, San Nicolas, at that time 39 years old, had sex with a 12-year-old boy. In May 2006, the defendant also engaged in sexual contact with another 12-year-old boy.

At the time, San Nicolas was a firefighter at the Department of Public Safety.

Soll refused to comment after the sentencing.

In an interview with Saipan Tribune, Warfield said she is satisfied with the eight-year sentence.

“At least the community will be safe for at least eight years and hopefully during that eight years a system will be put in place so that there can be some genuine movement toward rehabilitation of people who commit these types of offenses,” Warfield said.

The prosecutor said it is not sufficient that these kinds of people just be warehoused and then separated from the public.

“However, if someday they are going to be released, we really need to look toward putting a system in place to try to address some of the underlying issues,” she said.