Cross-dresser who robbed Star Poker gets 5 years in prison

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho Wednesday slapped a five-year imprisonment sentence against Eric Nick Narruhn, a repeat offender who disguised himself as a woman by wearing a wig and putting on a makeup in robbing Star Poker in Chalan Lau Lau.

“The people of the CNMI deserve a safe community and the people cry out for justice against the epidemic of thefts, burglaries, and robberies,” Camacho said.

Camacho ordered the 29-year-old Narruhn to serve the five years in prison day to day without the possibility of parole and work or weekend release.

The defendant was given credit of two years of time served.

As Narruhn is a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the judge directed the clerk of court to provide the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement a copy of the sentencing order.

The Office of the Attorney General dismissed the armed robbery and disturbing the peace charges and amended the information to charge the defendant only with theft.

Narruhn pleaded guilty to theft.

Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds, counsel for the government, recommended a sentence of the maximum of five years and other conditions.

Assistant public defender Matthew Meyer, counsel for Narruhn, recommended a sentence of two years imprisonment with credit for two years of time served.

Camacho said Narruhn, a repeat offender, requires a much longer sentence to ensure that he fully understands his actions and is deterred from committing any future crimes.

Camacho said defendant’s criminal acts have escalated from assault and battery, in which he pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace, to armed robbery, in which he pleaded guilty to theft.

The judge said in his prior case, Narruhn received a lenient sentence—11 days of jail time.

“Defendant failed to learn from his prior case, and instead has escalated the seriousness of his criminal activities,” he said.

Police Detective Catherine B. Pangelinan stated in her report that it was Narruhn’s wife, Realiza, who then worked as a cashier at Star Poker, who identified her husband on the surveillance camera’s footage of the robbery that occurred on Jan. 27, 2015.

The cashier told police that a man wearing a wig and with makeup robbed the establishment of $541 from the cashier’s box.