Ex-acting DFW chief pleads not guilty; trial moved to May

Former acting CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife director Raymond Borja Roberto pleaded not guilty last week to two charges that accused him of paying for sex with two minors.

Roberto, who appeared with privately retained counsel, Joaquin Torres, pleaded not guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona granted Torres’ motion to move the trial date from Jan. 21, 2014, to May 12, 2014.

Manglona, however, stated that she would allow a request by the parties to reset the May 12 jury trial to an earlier date once the parties meet and confer regarding the change in scheduling.

In granting the defense’s motion to move the trial, Manglona found the case to be complex and that “excludable delay was warranted for the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation by counsels.”

Torres moved for the continuation of the Jan. 21 trial date due to the voluminous discovery materials they received from the prosecution, the superseding indictment, and the alleged additional victim.

Torres stated that there were still outstanding discovery materials yet to be received.

Assistant U.S. attorney Ross Naughton informed the court that electronic items were seized and that they have been sent to Honolulu for forensic analysis.

Torres said the defense would need more time to review all the discovery materials received as to the additional alleged victim and that the defense is unsure when the forensic analysis would be concluded.

Torres asked that the trial be continued to late April 2014.

Naughton requested that the trial not be set on April 1, 2014, due to the Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent assisting local police in an unrelated case that has been set for trial during that week in the Superior Court.

The original indictment charged the defendant with only one count of coercion and enticement of a minor that involved a minor.

According to the superseding indictment, from March 1, 2013 to about July 18, 2013, Roberto, “using a facility and means of interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced” two minor girls to engage in sexual activity.

Saipan Tribune learned that Roberto served as acting CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife for only two days.

FBI agents arrested the defendant on Aug. 31 on charges of coercion and enticement. The case is related to the earlier arrest of firefighter Richard S. Benavente and suspected pimp Annette N. Basa.