Man gets 32-day prison sentence for attacking niece’s husband

The Office of the Attorney General has amended four times the case against a 65-year-old man accused of smacking the husband of his pregnant niece and trying to attack him with a tire wrench inside a poker arcade in Koblerville.

The original information charged Vicente Sablan Basa with five charges, which carry a maximum total sentence of 22 years imprisonment.

After four changes, Basa is now only charged with disturbing the peace and domestic violence, which carry a maximum total sentence of one year in prison.

Last Friday, Basa pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace as part of a plea deal. He was represented in the case by assistant public defender Jamal Saleh.

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho slapped Basa with a 32-day prison term, with credit for 32 days of time served. That means he will no longer serve a prison term.

Camacho sentenced Basa to the maximum sentence of one-year imprisonment for the two offenses, all suspended except for the first 32 days.

The remainder of the sentence is suspended and may be imposed if Basa commits a crime.

Basa was placed on probation for one year and required to pay a $500 fine, $25 in court costs, and $120 in probation fee. The fines may be converted to community service.

Basa was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service, attend anger management counseling, submit to drug tests and drug counseling, and shall not possess or consume any alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during his probation.

Basa is barred from having any contact with the victims and their children during his probation.

According to the plea deal, Basa made a threat that disturbed the peace of the victims on June 1, 2017 on Saipan.

The OAG filed the original information last June 7, charging Basa with assault and battery, disturbing the peace, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon-domestic violence, and disturbing the peace-domestic violence.

The following day, June 8, the OAG amended the charges to assault and battery, disturbing the peace, and assault with a dangerous weapon.

The following day, June 9, the OAG again amended the charges to assault and battery, disturbing the peace, assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, and disturbing the peace-domestic violence.

Last July 27, the OAG amended the charges again to disturbing the peace and disturbing the peace-domestic violence.

The following day, July 28, OAG amended the charges a fourth time, this time to just two charges—disturbing the peace and disturbing the peace-domestic violence.

In sentencing Basa, Camacho noted that the defendant has two prior convictions.

The motive for the attack was not indicated in the police report. It was mentioned, though, that he was drunk.

According to police, an officer responded to a call last June 1 at 4:34pm about a disturbance at KB Poker in Koblerville.

Police said that prior the incident, the 35-year-old victim and his seven-month pregnant wife were playing poker inside KB Poker.

Basa then came and smacked the victim’s left ear.

The victim’s wife got in between to prevent the fight.

As Basa was allegedly about to swing a tier wrench, the victim threw a chair at him.

The victim and his wife ran outside, then called the police.