Man gets 3 years for robbing poker

George Jones Castro, who is accused of robbing Capitol Poker in Sadog Tasi last year, pleaded guilty on Wednesday and was sentenced to three years in prison.

The 43-year-old Castro pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon as part of a plea agreement. The Office of the Attorney General agreed to drop the remaining charges of robbery, theft, criminal mischief, and disturbing the peace.

Superior Court associate judge Kenneth L. Govendo sentenced Castro to 10 years in prison, all suspended except for three years, with credit for the 123 days he has already spent in jail.

After completing his sentence, Castro will be placed on probation for 10 years and required to perform 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $60 probation service fee, and $25 court assessment fee.

Castro was ordered to pay Young Xu Chui restitution for the $2,000 that was stolen, as well as the damage to the cord and computers that happened during the robbery.

Castro had threatened Chui with a knife during the armed robbery that took place on Aug. 29, 2011 on Saipan. He also tied up the 56-year-old cashier before fleeing with $2,000 in cash.

Saipan Tribune broke the news about the robbery.

The police’s release of video footage of the robbery to KSPN2 led to the identification and subsequent arrest of Castro last Sept. 4.

Detective Catherine B. Pangelinan stated in her report that police released on Sept. 2, 2011, to KSPN2 the footage of the surveillance camera in hopes of identifying the suspect. Two days later, Pangelinan and detective Jonathan Decena interviewed Castro’s sister at her home in Tanapag.

Pangelinan said the sister admitted seeing KSPN2’s footage and recognizing the suspect as her brother, Castro. The sister believed that the knife used in the robbery was hers because after Castro left their house in Tanapag during the morning of Aug. 29, she realized that one of her two long kitchen knives was missing.

Pangelinan said that Castro confessed to the crime, saying he got the knife from his sister’s house. He told police he got close to $2,000 from Capitol Poker and that he spent all that money playing poker at Sky Poker along Airport Road.

Castro also led the investigators to a store in Puerto Rico where he hid the knife in a small flower garden in front of the establishment.