Basketball sensation faces theft case

CNMI National mainstay Jericho S. Cruz is facing criminal charges after he allegedly opened the locker of a customer at Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Club Elan and stole $150.

The 18-year-old Cruz appeared with lawyer Bruce Berline before Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja for arraignment.

Cruz pleaded not guilty.

Naraja ordered Cruz to appear in court for a status conference on June 17, 2009 at 1:30pm.

Saipan Tribune learned that police arrested Cruz last week, but he was not taken to court after he immediately posted bail.

Detective Joaquin I. Deleon Guerrero stated in his report that during an interview on April 28 at the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, Cruz admitted opening the locker and taking $60 from the pocket of a pair of pants inside.

Deleon Guerrero said Cruz, who then worked at Hyatt as a receptionist, claimed that it was a co-worker’s idea because the co-worker needed the money to buy methamphetamine or “ice.”

The detective said Cruz claimed that he and the co-worker split the money and that he used his share to buy gas for his car.

The defendant allegedly used a pair of scissors to open the locker’s lock.

Deleon Guerrero said the co-worker was also interviewed by detectives but denied any knowledge of the theft.

Police began looking into the incident on April 22 after Hyatt’s security officer reported a theft at Club Elan.

Deleon Guerrero said that, acording to the victim, Joseph Rocco Motto, he signed up with Club Elan to use the facility on April 21 at 8:30pm.

Motto changed clothes and locked them with his other belongings in one of the lockers in the men’s room.

After using the sauna for a few minutes, Motto put on his clothes and proceeded to DJ’s Corner to buy some bread. He then discovered that his money was missing.

Motto reported the incident to the hotel’s front desk manager. On April 25, the hotel’s security manager called DPS CIB and provided the names of Cruz and Watana Seemuang, a cleaner, as the ones working at the reception desk and men’s locker room at the time.

A few days before the alleged theft happened, Cruz led the Hyatt basketball team to a lopsided victory over Aqua Resort Club in their championship duel during the Budweiser Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino Invitational Basketball League at the Tinian Municipal Gym.

Cruz was named the best player of the championship game and the Most Valuable Player. He was the lone player from Hyatt to make it to the Mythical Five.

Cruz is set to graduate from Marianas High School this June.