Man who interrupted Bible study and broke window gets 6 months in prison

Patrick Tudela Gibo, a 37-year-old man believed to have a mental problem, has entered a guilty plea and was slapped with a six-month prison term over an incident in 2014 when he barged into a Bible study at Grace Christian Ministries in Kagman III, interrupted a pastor, and attacked a person.

Gibo pleaded guilty on Wednesday afternoon to the offense of criminal mischief.

Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman accepted the guilty plea and the agreement.

Wiseman sentenced Gibo to one year imprisonment, all suspended except six months to be served day for day without the possibility of parole.

Gibo was given credit for time served.

After serving the prison term, the defendant will be placed on supervised probation for two years. He was ordered to pay a $200 fine and $100 probation fee.

Gibo was required to report to the Community Guidance Center for anger management counseling and submit to an evaluation by CGC focusing on alcohol and drug assessment, treatment, and screening.

The defendant is prohibited from possessing or consuming any alcoholic beverages or controlled substances during the period of probation.

In the Kagman incident, the Office of the Attorney General charged Gibo with criminal mischief, assault and battery, and three counts of disturbing the peace.

Gibo and counsel, assistant public defender Michael Sato, signed a plea deal with the government.

For pleading guilty to the offense of criminal mischief, assistant attorney general Chester Hinds moved to dismiss the remaining charges over the Kagman incident as well as in his separate criminal case in 2015. Wiseman granted the motion.

According to the factual basis of the plea deal, on Nov. 5, 2014 on Saipan, Gibo used a fire extinguisher and broke a window at Grace Christian Ministries.

Police detective Therese S. Kintoki stated in her report that people were about to start a Bible study at Grace Christian Ministries on Nov. 5, 2014 at 6:30pm to 7pm, when Gibo interrupted the pastor by standing up during the session and talking while the pastor was speaking.

Gibo asked the pastor to pray for him, which the people did. He went outside, but returned a few minutes with a fire extinguisher. He hit the window of the Grace Christian Ministries with the fire extinguisher, shattering the glass.

Police said Gibo also assaulted a man who was in the Bible study. Retired police sergeant Sylvan Rangamar came and managed to subdue him. Two police officers later responded and arrested the defendant.

In January 2015, Wiseman ordered Gibo’s temporary release because the person qualified to perform his psychiatric evaluation could not be found.

On Sept. 11, 2015, Gibo was arrested again shortly after he allegedly punched a mid-level provider and a physician at the Commonwealth Health Center. As part of the plea deal, this case was also dismissed.