$15K bail for 8th man involved in COP theft

Police officers successfully apprehended the eighth man involved in the Coral Ocean Point Resort burglary last Friday in Chalan Kanoa.

Skyler James Benavente, 36, appeared before Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho yesterday for his bail hearing at the Superior Court in Susupe. Facing charges of receiving stolen property and theft and conspiracy, the court imposed a $15,000 cash bail on him.

Benavente was remanded to the Department of Corrections’ custody until his preliminary hearing on Oct. 2, 2024 at 2:30pm. His arraignment will be on Oct. 7, at 9am.

According to court documents, on Sept. 10, 2024 at 7:10am, DPS officers responded to a reported theft of two golf carts at the Coral Ocean Resort in As Gonno.

Just minutes later, officers met with the security guard who had called for police assistance. The security guard alerted police that there were two missing golf carts with unique rims with an estimated value of $8,000 each. Officers also learned that an orange Black and Decker Angle Grinder worth $175, a Green TIG welding machine with an estimated value $1,000, and a portable welding machine worth $300 were also stolen from the area.

On Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024 at 8am, DPS officers and detectives met with a concerned citizen who wanted to give information on the stolen golf carts. According to the concerned citizen, the evening of Sept. 8, 2024, they were with Cain Stanley Fitial (later incriminated for the incident as well) at Coral Ocean Resort beach side drinking alcoholic beverages. The concerned citizen overheard Fitial saying that he was going to burglarize Coral Ocean Resort, adding that in the afternoon of the Sept. 11, 2024, they were over at the residence of Anthony and Andrew Duenas in San Antonio and saw two golf carts belonging to Coral Ocean Resort, which they were able to identify by the Coral Ocean Resort stickers still intact. The concerned citizen also said that he saw an orange tool box outside the Duenas residence.

On Sept. 16, 2024 at 3pm, DPS officers were showed surveillance footage dated, Sept. 9, 2024 at 4am, showing Fitial jumping the fence into the staging area of the golf carts, and shortly after being chased out of the compound by the greenskeeper.

The documents further state that on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio issued an eaves drop warrant for the confidential source to meet with Benavente, along with an undercover capacity to purchase the stolen golf cart. The very same evening the eaves drop warrant was executed by Criminal Investigation Bureau personnel and the confidential source was able to complete the purchase of the stolen golf cart at the Duenas compound.

At about 5:33pm, the undercover source along with the confidential source arrived at the Duenas compound located in San Antonio. The confidential source reversed the vehicle behind the Duenas residence closer to the jungle area and exited the vehicle to meet with Benavente. Benavente along with three other male individuals, later identified as Dino Mettao, Andrew Duenas, and Terrence Cabrera, then walked toward the jungle and later exited with a golf cart.

Another male individual, later identified as Brian Rios, came over to assist in loading the golf cart onto the trailer and covered it with a blue tarp. The confidential source then gave Benavente Drug Enforcement Task Force Official Advance Funds worth $200 in payment for the golf cart. The golf cart was then procured as evidence.

The next day, Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo signed a search warrant for the outside of the residence of Anthony and Andrew Duenas located along Batto Place, San Antonio. CIB detectives executed the search warrant on the same day.

As a result of the search, evidence collected on the site were one golf cart plexiglass window with a back brace, a

black damaged metal frame, a white golf cart roof with a retractable rain guard, and another white golf cart roof with a retractable rain guard but with two rear beams attached, a golf cart back brace, and a yellow Lastin Hansin Korea brand electric welder.

On Sept. 19, 2024, the items were positively identified by Coral Ocean Resort staff.

Documents further state that on Sept. 23, 2024 at 12:40pm, officers and detectives met with Fitial for an interview. Fitial admitted to stealing the golf carts at Coral Ocean Resort along with Aaron Cabrera. Fitial also led the officers and detectives back to Coral Ocean Resort, and the spot where he and Cabrera took two golf carts from. Fitial also added that he took two car batteries. Fitial also led the officers and detectives to Buchibuchi Drive where Cabrera hid the golf cart that he took.

Fitial showed officers a shortcut located in the Duenas compound in Afetnas, stating that he drove the golf cart in the shortcut down to Cabrera’s father’s place in San Antonio. He then led officers to a jungle area located southeast of the Duenas residence and pointed where he parked the golf cart.

After an interview with Cabrera on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 at his residence in Koblerville, Cabrera also admitted to being involved in the stealing of the golf carts from Coral Ocean Resort. Cabrera stated that Anthony Duenas told him and Fitial to steal two golf carts at the Coral Ocean Resort. Cabrera stated that he and Fitial had drove both golf carts to a jungled area nearby Coral Ocean Resort after stealing them and parked one of the golf carts in the jungle, aligning with Fitial’s story. Cabrera said he followed Fitial on the other golf cart and drove it down to the Duenas residence located in San Antonio and parked it in the jungle behind the residence. Anthony Duenas picked up the men up and dropped them back to the jungled area where they parked the first golf cart, just along Coral Ocean Resort. Cabrera and Fitial drove the cart down to the Duenas residence and parked it. Cabrera stated that Anthony Duenas gave him $60 and half a gram of methamphetamine for payment for the two golf carts.

Skyler Benavente