Man who left bag with guns indicted in federal court

A federal grand jury indicted yesterday probationer Daniel Muna Quitugua over the alleged illegal guns and ammunitions that he left behind when he ran away from police officers who stopped him for speeding.

The indictment charged Quitugua with one count of felon in possession of firearms.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona yesterday granted the U.S. government’s motion to order the Department of Corrections to deliver Quitugua to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

Manglona ordered the U.S. Marshal to bring Quitugua to court on Friday, June 20, at 1:30pm.

The U.S. attorney, the judge said, shall notify the U.S. Marshal when Quitugua’s presence is no longer required and that the detainee can be returned to Corrections.

According to the indictment, Quitugua was found in possession of one or more firearms and rounds of ammunition on May 23, 2014. Specifically, he was found with one Sig Sauer model P226 9mm pistol; one Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver; 90 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition; 50 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition; and 62 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Quitugua was convicted in federal court in 2005 of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He was involved in an armed robbery at a poker arcade in 2004. The federal court sentenced him to 120 months in prison, followed by a five-year supervised release. Quitugua’s supervised release began on Jan. 14, 2013.

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho recently dismissed the charge of illegal possession of a controlled substance filed against Quitugua after police officers failed to test the alleged methamphetamine or “ice” found in his possession due to the Department of Public Safety’s lack of money to buy field test kits.

At a preliminary hearing, Camacho said he heard the testimony of witnesses and found no probable cause to charge Quitugua with illegal possession of a controlled substance.

DPS narcotics investigator Elias Saralu testified that three baggies of possible “ice” and a glass tube were found with Quitugua when he was arrested.

Camacho also found no probable cause to charge Quitugua with assault and battery and dismissed that count.

The judge, however, found probable cause to charge him with resisting arrest and ordered him to answer that count.

The Office of the Attorney General did not charge Quitugua with illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions.

Police arrested Quitugua for allegedly speeding and running away from police officers, leaving behind a bag that contained three illegal guns and bullets near the Northern Marianas College on May 23, 2014.

Following his arrest, the U.S. Probation Office sought to have Quitugua’s probation revoked.

The federal court then ordered Quitugua to explain why his term of supervised release should not be revoked.

In a petition for revocation, U.S. probation officer Gregory F. Arriola said that Quitugua is prohibited from any unlawful use of a controlled substance and from committing another federal, state, or local crime.

Arriola said Quitugua admitted i that he had used “ice” on May 14, 2014. Quitugua also admitted to using drugs on March 5, April 28, May 20, and June 7, all in 2013.