Last member of burglary crew gets 5 years

A man was re-sentenced Wednesday last week to five years in prison for conspiring with other to burglarize a warehouse in Afetnas and steal copper wire and other items.

Sonny Babauta was resentenced to 21 years in prison, all suspended except for five years.

“Mr. Babauta, what you did really damaged your family,” Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho told Babauta.

Babauta, who has been in custody for over 36 months now, was given credit for time served and required to pay $4,230 in restitution. After completing his sentence, he will be placed on 10 years of probation.

Camacho said Babauta and his three co-conspirators burglarized the victim’s premises not once but twice on the same night and destroyed tools and copper wire worth $4,230, which they sold for $120.

Camacho said Babauta and co-members of the burglary crew split the money equally and went into a poker arcade to play.

The judge noted that Babauta has no prior criminal conviction and that he was 20 at that time. However, he associated with co-defendants who mostly have extensive prior criminal convictions.

Assistant attorney general Betsy Weintraub recommended a five-year prison sentence. Defense counsel Jennifer Dockter recommended three years imprisonment with credit for time served.

On Nov. 29, 2013, a jury found Babauta guilty of two counts of burglary, two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, two counts of theft, and two counts of conspiracy to commit theft. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 32 years imprisonment.

In January 2014, Camacho slapped Babauta with a 10-year prison sentence. Babauta appealed to the CNMI Supreme Court.

His three co-conspirators—Jeffrey Lizama, Matthias Salisban, and Fiden Hamo—all pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal. Lizama and Salasiban were slapped with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison without parole. The two’s appeal resulted in resentencing.

In June 2015, Salasiban was resentenced to the maximum of five years in prison.

In March 2016, Lizama was resentenced to the maximum of five years in prison.

Hamo pleaded guilty in the burglary case and also in a rock-throwing incident. He was slapped with a five-year jail term.

The charge of accessory after the fact to burglary against another defendant, Petrus Anastacio, was dismissed during the trial.

The four men twice entered the Han Nam warehouse on Dec. 18 and 19, 2012, and stole copper wires, power tools, and other items.