Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo has slapped a five-year jail term against an ex-convict who robbed a man and a tourist in separate incidents in 2011 and 2012.
Following a plea agreement, Govendo on Tuesday sentenced Michael Jordan Cabrera to 10 years in prison, all suspended except five years.
The 24-year-old Cabrera was given credit for 330 days that he already served in jail.
Govendo ordered the defendant to spend the jail term day for day without the possibility of parole.
Upon release from the Department of Corrections, Cabrera will be placed on supervised probation for five years. He was required to pay $180 in restitution to Ming Zhe Li, a $1,000 fine, $300 court costs, and $500 probation fees.
The defendant was also ordered to write a letter of apology to Ming Zhe Li, Li Wen Fan, and Fan's companion, Fen Zu.
The Office of the Attorney General charged Cabrera with robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and conspiracy to commit robbery.
In the second case, the OAG charged the defendant with one count of theft, one count of robbery, two counts of disturbing the peace, one count of resisting arrest, and four counts of criminal contempt.
Cabrera signed a plea agreement with the government. He pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first case, and pleaded guilty to robbery in the other case.
In exchange for the plea deal, the OAG moved to dismiss the remaining charges.
Cabrera agreed to provide a full statement to police officers, identifying his co-conspirators and details of his co-conspirators' involvement in these crimes.
Cabrera's co-defendants in the first case are Franklin Jesse Atalig and Shane Indalecio Ada.
According to the plea agreement, on Oct. 23, 2011, Cabrera and Atalig jumped into Ming Zhe Li's vehicle which was parked in front of Town House Store in Chalan Kanoa, Saipan.
One of the defendants chocked Mr. Li while the other pointed a seven-inch long sashimi knife to Li's chest.
The defendants robbed Li of his wallet containing $107 cash, a driver's license, and photos. Atalig and Cabrera fled the scene and were later picked up by co-defendant Ada in a getaway vehicle not far from the location of the robbery.
In the second case, on Oct. 15, 2012 on Saipan, Cabrera snatched the purse from the arm of Japanese tourist, Li Wen Fan. He ran away, causing Fan to fall to the ground.
Police officers spotted Cabrera, who ran for several minutes to avoid being arrested. At the time, the defendant was on probation for a previous criminal conviction.
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