Man granted parole now up for deportation

The CNMI Board of Parole granted the parole application of a convicted burglar last week and is now set to surrender him to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

The CNMI Board of Parole heard the parole applications of Steven Hasugulgam, Titomir K. Bhuiyan, and Bradley Defang last Friday and denied the parole applications for both Bhuiyan and Defang but granted parole for Hasugulgam, who is serving a 10-year sentence for eight counts of burglary in different cases.

Bhuiyan is serving 16 years for kidnapping, conspiracy, aggravated assault and battery, theft of vehicle, and disturbing the peace. Defang, on the other hand, is serving five years for robbery.

In an interview with chief parole officer Nick Reyes, he said his office will surrender Hasugulgam to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation as soon as he gets a plane ticket.

“As of now, he will remain detained until such time when he is given a plane ticket,” he said.

Acting Parole board chair Lucinda Selepeo explained that it was a no-brainer to grant parole for Hasugulgam because part of his application was for him to be deported. The board unanimously agreed to grant Hasugulgam parole so he can be sent home.

Both declined to release information where Hasugulgam will be deported to.

Selepeo said that Bhuiyan and Defang’s applications were a different story.

For the two men’s application, she said, the six board members’ votes came to a tie, which automatically means denial of the application.

Board member Francine Nekai also shared her reasoning behind her vote, stating that everyone deserves a second chance.

Newly appointed board member Anthony Macaranas, a retired police officer, shared a different point of view.

He said that, as an officer, he rarely considers those he has put behind bars. However, in his new role as a Parole Board member, he is forced to think about the incarcerated individual and determine whether they have really changed. That was a factor that determined his decision to grant Hasugulgam bail and vote in favor of granting parole for the other two applicants.

“Granting parole is also an opportunity for the inmate to go out there and improve his or her life, instead of staying in the institution just doing nothing.  Out there they can find a way how to live to be a model citizen. The other thing, too, is when we give them the opportunity, they can go to school, find a job, help their family—those are some of the things they need to do to help themselves,” he said.