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Bench warrant out for woman who lied to USCIS
A woman who is facing a charge in federal court for lying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services not only failed to appear at several scheduled random drug tests but also at her hearing in federal court.
The case against Evengelyn E.C. Jones was called last week for a petition for revocation of her pre-trial release, but she did not appear.
Attorney David Banes, Jones’ new appointed counsel, told U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona that since his appointment last Jan. 9, he has made many attempts to contact his client without success.
U.S. Probation officer Gregory Arriola also told Banes and Manglona that Jones has not contacted the U.S. Probation Office since their last home visit on Dec. 23, 2014.
This prompted Manglona to issue a bench warrant for Jones’ arrest and vacated the trial set for Feb. 2, 2015.
Manglona deferred setting a new trial date and deadlines until Jones appears in court.
Attorney Michael N. Evangelista, who was the original court-appointed counsel for Jones, had asked the court to be allowed to withdraw as attorney for Jones. The court granted the request.
Arriola stated in his declaration in court that Jones was arrested on an indictment charging her with one count of visa fraud and was released last Nov. 24 on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
During her release, Jones admitted to using “ice” on Nov. 21 and 28, 2014, Arriola said. Jones then requested that her pre-trial release conditions be modified to include substance abuse treatment.
Manglona granted Jones’ request last Dec. 15.
Arriola said since Jones’ release on Nov. 24, she failed to appear for random drug tests on Dec. 16, 18, 20, 28, and 30, 2014.
Arriola said that, on Dec. 16 and 18, Jones informed the treatment vendor that she was unable to report to their office because she was sick.
On Jan. 5, Jones again failed to appear for a random drug test earlier that day, Arriola said.
According to the indictment, Jones stated in a Form I-130 that an individual known as K.Y.O. was her “husband/wife”—a representation she knew was false in that she had divorced K.Y.O. in 2006.
Form I-130 refers to a U.S. citizen’s petition for an alien relative.
