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US govt moves to dismiss perjury indictments vs ex-firefighter
The U.S. government asked permission from the federal court yesterday to dismiss the indictments in the perjury case against former firefighter Richard Sullivan Benavente for allegedly lying during the trial of Raymond B. Roberto.
Assistant U.S. attorney Ross K. Naughton said under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the U.S. government moves without opposition for leave to dismiss without prejudice the indictments in the case against Benavente.
Attorney Michael Dotts, counsel for Benavente, notified the court that he does not oppose the U.S. government’s motion to dismiss.
Naughton said under “Rule 48, court must grant leave to the government to dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint unless dismissal is clearly contrary to manifest public interest.”
The prosecutor did not specifically mention the reason for dismissal of the case.
Last April 17, the prosecution filed a first superseding indictment charging Benavente with one count of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury. Last week, he pleaded not guilty.
The original indictment charged him with four charges: three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.
In February 2014, Benavente pleaded guilty to a count of sexual exploitation of a child. He has yet to be sentenced in this case.
In September 2014, a federal court jury acquitted Roberto of all charges that he enticed three minor girls to engage in prostitution and one count of witness tampering. Roberto used to serve as acting director of the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife.
