Man accused of molesting 12-year-old is denied release

A Department of Corrections officer escorts Edmund Castaneda, 61, to his hearing at the Guma Hustisia in Susupe. (KIMBERLY B. ESMORES)

The Superior Court denied the temporary release of a 61-year-old man who is accused of molesting a 12-year-old boy, after expressing concern about the suitability of the suspect’s wife as third-party custodian.

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho denied the bail modification that would have allowed the release of Edmund Altares Castaneda, 61, who was arrested for alleged sex abuse of a minor in the first, second, and third degrees.

Following his bail modification hearing last Friday, Castaneda was remanded back to the custody of the Department of Corrections.

During the hearing, Castaneda’s lawyer, Office of the Public Defender’s Karie Comstock, proposed that the defendant be allowed to post $500 of his initial $50,000 bail and be released to Emilia Alaba, Castaneda’s wife, as his third-party custodian.

However, the court denied the request because Camacho was concerned that Alaba may not satisfy the responsibility of a third-party custodian, which is to be the eyes and ears of the court.

Assistant attorney general James Houston, who represents the government, also voiced concerns about the proposed modified bail being set too low, stating that the bail is meant to ensure the safety of the community while the case is ongoing.

Comstock argued, though, that $500 is a substantial amount for Castaneda’s wife, who is unemployed.

Camacho later clarified that the bail amount is not the concern because in the court of law, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and should be given the opportunity to post bail, but rather, whether the third-party custodian is suitable for the job.

According to Saipan Tribune archives, Castaneda was arrested at around 10:09am last June 17 after the victim’s father called police upon learning from his son about Castaneda’s alleged molestation.The child alleged that Castaneda started molesting him since he was 5 or 6 years old.

In a forensic interview with the Department of Youth Services, the victim said he was sleeping when Castaneda allegedly came inside his room and molested him, which he described to the DYS advocate in detail. The child said Castaneda had been doing things like this since he was 5 or 6 and has occasionally kissed him on the lips.

Castaneda told police in an interview that he only “opened” the child’s pants as a joke and he’s always joking with him.