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Police sergeant arrested for alleged domestic violence
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Posted on May 14 2012
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
A police sergeant was arrested yesterday afternoon for allegedly being involved in a domestic violence incident, Saipan Tribune learned.
Sources at the Department of Public Safety and at the Department of Corrections disclosed that Sgt. Vicente Tagabuel was detained at 2pm. No other details of his arrest were immediately available as of press time.
Tagabuel’s current assignment is at the Summons and Warrant Office.
In December last year, the Office of the Attorney General charged Tagabuel with alleged theft of utility services. It is not clear yet whether the case is pending in court.
Tagabuel was not arrested in that case as the OAG only served him with penal summons to appear in the Superior Court to answer the charges on Dec. 12, 2011. The police sergeant pleaded not guilty.
In the criminal information, assistant attorney general Russell Lorfing stated that, on April 15 to 27, 2011 on Saipan, Tagabuel “intended to obtain utility services for his benefit or for the benefit of another without paying the full amount.”
Lorfing said that Tagabuel “knowingly committed the theft of utility services totaling in the approximate amount of $196.70 by bypassing the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s meter.”
When asked about the filing of the theft case, Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham at that time stated that the OAG endeavors to uphold justice regardless of rank, familial ties, or one’s career path.
Buckingham said that consistent with the criminal information that has been filed, they believe that Tagabuel committed the crime of theft of utility services. He said the presentation of evidence and information will be presented in its proper forum-a court of law.
“We respect that any accused person is presumed innocent and the Office of the Attorney General is required to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.
