Manglona summons probationer anew

The U.S. Probation Office has requested the federal court to revoke again the supervised release of probationer Ryan Taitano Babauta after he was arrested last month for domestic violence.

At the U.S. Probation’s request, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona summoned Babauta to appear in court on Nov. 7 at 1:30pm.

According to probation officer Gregory F. Arriola, Babauta was arrested last Oct. 3 by the police for assault and battery, disturbing the peace, and domestic violence. Arriola said Babauta allegedly slapped the face of his sister during an argument over a car at their home in Kagman II last Oct. 3.

According to a police report, the sister stated she lost her vision for a while and almost fell when Babauta slapped her in the face. She also stated that she felt dizzy and unable to hear for a short while.

She alleged that Babauta also tried to hit her with a broomstick but their mother and his girlfriend stopped him.

Babauta was arrested that day and was subsequently released. Last Oct. 5, Babauta told Arriola that he received a text message from his sister that she does not want to press charges against him.

Arriola said he contacted the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Bureau detective Peter Aldan last Oct. 17 to verify the status of Babauta’s case.

Arriola said Aldan advised that he needed to look into the matter and would provide him (Arriola) with an update at a later time. To date, Arriola said, he has not received an update from DPS.

On Dec. 29, 2015, Manglona revoked Babauta’s supervised release and ordered him to spend six months in prison and six months of home detention for using methamphetamine or “ice” and violating other probation conditions.

Manglona placed Babauta on 40 months of supervised release, with credit for time served.

Babauta’s fourth term of supervised release started on May 16, 2016.

The court revoked Babauta’s probation at least twice in the past for “ice” use and for violating other probation conditions.

Babauta was one of seven prisoners who staged a 14-hour hostage drama at the Department of Corrections in Susupe in March 2009. At the time, he was serving a prison term for voluntary manslaughter over the killing of a Bangladeshi national in Chalan Kanoa.

In August 1999, the court slapped Babauta with a 180-month prison sentence and five years of supervised release, for hostage taking and felon in possession of a firearm.