Norita is DORE’s 7th graduate

The Drug Offender Re-entry Program of the U.S. District Court for the NMI had another graduate last Tuesday, making him the program’s seventh graduate to date.

Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona handed a certificate of DORE completion to Roque Sablan Norita during a graduation ceremony at the District Court. As part of his reward for completing the DORE program, his supervised probation was reduced by one year, as per recommendation of U.S. Probation officer Gregory F. Arriola.

That means Norita’s supervised probation will expire on Nov. 18, 2020.

Manglona, who said she is impressed by Norita’s pride and confidence in maintaining his honor and dignity, congratulated him for coming a long way in maintaining his sobriety.

“With your graduation today, you are again earning respect from the [DORE] team,” the judge said.

Norita started participating DORE Program in December 2017.

Manglona said she remembers that Norita got started with the program on the wrong foot and it was only during the third session when he first started to earn credit.

Manglona said Norita had a major setback and had another setback early this year.

The judge said Norita had 10 months of sobriety and was ready to graduate when “disaster” happened. Yet the DORE team never gave up on Norita, Manglona said. “You earned my respect and I hope you maintain that,” the judge told Norita.

In reading his prepared speech, Norita thanked Manglona and the DORE team. He admitted he was not doing well at the start of the program as he had couple of violations. That only solidified his will to become a better citizen, son, brother, and father, he said.

“I am proud to say that I made it,” he said, adding that he will be living the rest of his life to be a better and cleaner person.

In July 2010, the District Court slapped Norita with a 30-month prison term for his conviction of trafficking methamphetamine or “ice” and illegal possession of guns.

Norita was placed on six years of supervised release after completing his sentence. He began his supervised release on Nov. 21, 2011. The court revoked his supervised release several times for continued “ice” use and other violations.

In December 2017, the DORE Program accepted Norita.

The DORE Program is a post-incarceration cooperative effort program of the U.S. District Court, U.S. Probation Office, Federal Public Defender, and U.S. Attorney’s Office. It provides treatment and sanction alternative to address re-integration into the community for non-violent, substance abuse offenders release from federal prison.