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Rep. Palacios arrested
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Posted on Oct 29 2011
For alleged ‘ice’ trafficking
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
Police detectives served Rep. Raymond D. Palacios (Cov-Saipan) with an arrest warrant late afternoon yesterday on charges of trafficking methamphetamine or “ice.”
Multiple sources at the Department of Public Safety told Saipan Tribune that Criminal Investigation Bureau detectives served Palacios with the warrant at his residence in Chalan Kanoa. The warrant was issued by Superior Court associate judge David A. Wiseman.
Sources said that Wiseman imposed a $60,000 cash bail for two counts of trafficking “ice.”
A lawyer told Saipan Tribune that each offense of “ice” trafficking carries a mandatory prison term of 25 years.
Palacios is now being detained at the Department of Corrections in Susupe. He is expected to be taken to court Monday morning for his initial court appearance or bail hearing.
Palacios, chairman of the House Committee on Education, earlier denied being involved in selling “ice” after rumors spread Monday afternoon that the FBI had arrested him on illegal drug charges.
No further details were available as of press time about the “ice buy operation,” but sources said that detective Steven Castro is handling the investigation.
Other sources said that detectives were actually supposed to serve the arrest warrant earlier this week unknown reasons.
Sources said the detectives decided to arrest Palacios after they received tips that the representative had purchased an airline ticket to get out of the CNMI.
House Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) on Tuesday said he will appoint a seven-member Special Committee on Ethics that will look into reports of drug-related issues involving Palacios.
