Ogumoro alleges ex-DPS chief halted probe

Ambrosio T. Ogumoro, a former Department of Public Safety deputy chief, now alleges that a former head of the department, James C. Deleon Guerrero, stopped an investigation of a police officer who falsified overtime hours, as that officer allegedly obtained evidence involving Deleon Guerrero having sex with a minor.

At a press conference on Thursday and in his complaint submitted to Attorney General Edward Manibusan, Ogumoro alleged that police officer Melissa Bauleong was caught in April 2014 falsifying overtime hours. She allegedly admitted to it.

Saipan Tribune tried but failed to contact Deleon Guerrero and Bauleong to obtain comments.

Ogumoro said that police captain Lawrence Camacho, who was then assigned at DPS Internal Affairs, made a report about Bauleong’s case.

He said former Office of the Public Auditor legal counsel George Hasselback suggested that they will have someone look into it because they have a “bigger fish to catch.”

Ogumoro said Bauleong was not arrested but was later assigned to OPA.

Ogumoro said that that part of Bauleong’s duty at OPA was arresting government employees who falsify overtime hours, like her case.

He said the matter was brought to the attention of Deleon Guerrero, who halted the criminal prosecution against Bauleong.

Ogumoro said AG investigators were also aware of this incident but failed to carry out their mandated duties and responsibilities.

“Why did James Deleon Guerrero protect Bauleong? Is it because Bauleong went to retrieve the government property from Richard Benavente’s residence back in year 2013?” Ogumoro asked.

Benavente is a former DPS firefighter who is serving a 30-year prison sentence for sexual exploitation of a child.

Ogumoro said that Bauleong came across some incriminating evidence that involved Deleon Guerrero.

The OAG charged Deleon Guerrero and former police officer Jesse S. Concepcion for allegedly engaging in sex with a minor at the San Antonio beach in June 2013.

The victim in Benavente case is the same girl allegedly involved in the case against Deleon Guerrero and Concepcion.

In June 2016, the Superior Court dismissed the case against Deleon Guerrero and Concepcion after finding no probable cause to support the charges.

Ogumoro said it was discovered at a later time in 2016 that Deleon Guerrero was also involved in having sex with a minor. He noted that one of the investigators in that sexual abuse case was Bauleong herself.

“People are asking why it took so long to investigate and the investigation was sloppy. Can Bauleong explain what happened to the evidence she saw in the other SIM cards she found?” said Ogumoro, adding that Benavente can possibly shed more light to this.

Ogumoro also disclosed that when he was the DPS deputy commissioner, he had both Deleon Guerrero and police officer James Rabauliman investigated.

He said Deleon Guerrero, who was then the supervisor of the DPS Grants Office, fully knew that his subordinate, James Rabauliman, had been caught faking overtime hours.

Saipan Tribune was still trying to get a comment from Rabauliman as of press time.

Ogumoro said Rabauliman claimed to have been working overtime, but another DPS employee and surveillance camera recorded him playing poker at the Kagman Poker Room.

He said Deleon Guerrero also faked his own overtime hours.

He said Bauleong retrieved the government vehicle assigned to him (Ogumoro) when he was off-island, by using an extra key. Ogumoro said Deleon Guerrero was surprised that his and Rabauliman’s time cards were in that government vehicle assigned to him (Ogumoro). Ogumoro said those incidents are why Deleon Guerrero despises him.

Ogumoro said Deleon Guerrero and Bauleong then became close friends.

He said a DPS Internal Affairs officer had proof back in April 2014 that Bauleong confessed to faking her overtime hours.

Ogumoro said during the court hearing in the criminal case against him, it was later found out that the recording of Bauleong’s confession went missing under the Deleon Guerrero’s term as commissioner.

When asked why he is just coming up with these allegations, Ogumoro explained that his attorney had advised him to wait as it might be related to his case.

“I want the public to know that I served 22 years honorably in the Marine Corps. I went and fought for right and freedom for people and for us,” he said.

Ogumoro said that now that he’s home, people “that are so corrupted” are trying to take him down.

Last May 2, Ogumoro was found guilty of two corruption charges and acquitted of four other charges. The jury found him guilty of theft by deception but not guilty of theft by unlawful taking.

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo, who decided on the misdemeanor charges, found Ogumoro guilty of one count of misconduct in public office, not guilty of two counts of removal of government property, and not guilty of one count of misconduct in public office.

Sentencing will be on Sept. 12, 2017.

In January 2016, a Superior Court jury found Ogumoro guilty of conspiracy to commit theft of services, and theft of services for shielding then-AG Edward Buckingham from being served with penal summons in August 2012.

Then-associate judge David A. Wiseman found Ogumoro guilty of five counts of misconduct in public office, one count of obstructing justice: interference with a law enforcement officer or witness, and one count of criminal coercion.

In March 2016, Wiseman slapped Ogumoro with a one-year prison sentence. He already served the sentence.