Notorious habitual offender gets 11 years in prison

Notorious habitual offender Ramon Cabrera Blas was slapped yesterday with an 11-year prison term for burglarizing an apartment complex in San Vicente and stealing a couple’s jewelry, money, and other items.

Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio sentenced Blas to the maximum of five years imprisonment for burglary, five years prison term for theft, six months for criminal trespass, and six months for disturbing the peace—a total of 11 years in prison.

Kim-Tenorio ordered the 57-year-old Blas to serve the prison term with no possibility of parole, early release, or weekend furlough.

The 11-year prison term will be consecutive to the three-year imprisonment that Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman imposed on Blas last July for violating his probation.

It means that Blas will serve 11 years in addition to the three-year prison term that Wiseman had imposed.

Kim-Tenorio listed defendant’s long criminal history and the leniency he received from past convictions.

In October 2015, a Superior Court jury found Blas guilty of burglary and theft. Kim-Tenorio also found the defendant guilty of criminal mischief and disturbing the peace.

In the government’s recommendation, assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas, counsel for the government, said sentencing the defendant to the maximum of 11 years with no possibility of parole, early release, or weekend furlough will prevent him from committing future crimes and prevent others from committing similar crimes, which will improve public safety by incapacitating repeat offenders.

Barcinas said Blas committed new crimes while on probation in 10 out of his 13 criminal convictions.

Barcinas said there is no other way to describe defendant’s character rather than being a menace to society and must be incarcerated to protect the safety and prosperity of the community.

The prosecutor noted that since 1979 at the age of 20, Blas has been in and out of prison for various offenses and most of which are crimes against property and persons.

Blas has at least 18 criminal convictions, including the most serious being robbery.

Barcinas said Blas is still terrorizing the community with his criminal activities and poses a serious threat to the community with his continuous pattern of thefts and burglaries.

Barcinas said Blas has proved himself to be a poor candidate for probation and will not benefit from any rehabilitative tools, except incarceration.

She said the community must be protected from criminals like Blas, who has complete disregard for the laws of the CNMI and has complete disregard for the probation orders from the court; and therefore must retire at the Department of Corrections.

Barcinas said the crime of burglary has not only had a negative effect on the citizens of the Commonwealth, but also on the value of properties, the cost to operate businesses, and the economy.

In this case, Barcinas said, Blas stole $18,310 worth of jewelry from a woman, including a family heirloom that was passed on to her by her mother and her engagement ring given to her by her husband.

The prosecutor said the victim will never be able to recover any of her jewelry.

She said the couple is willing to waive restitution so Blas could be sentenced to the maximum allowable sentence of 11 years.

Assistant public defender Michael Sato, counsel for Blas, recommended a five-year sentence, with credit for time served.

Sato said statistically, it is an inefficient use of government resources to confine Blas in the Department of Corrections.

According to the prosecution, on Aug. 21, 2014, Blas burglarized the apartment unit of the couple and when told to leave, he refused.

Blas, smiling, told the woman not to be afraid, but this made her more afraid.

Blas only ran away after he heard the sound of the woman’s husband’s car pulling into the apartment.

Two months later or on Nov. 9, 2014, Blas returned to the unit and stole a laptop, several jewelry, Dior perfume, a Fendi purse, a Samsung cell phone, a drill, and cosmetics.

The couple found Blas inside their home.

The apartment complex is owned by retired judge Juan T. Lizama.

Police detective Catherine B. Pangelinan was the officer in charge of the case.

Last June, Wiseman imposed a three-year prison term on Blas for violating his probation. The judge said Blas is a continuing menace to the community and should be incapacitated or isolated from society by remaining in prison for the allowable maximum term.