$50K cash bail for man caught in violation of bail conditions

The Superior Court placed a $50,000 cash bail on a man caught in violation of his bail conditions after he was found with another wanted man.

Kelvin C. Sanchez, 36, who had faced several serious charges of assault and battery, strangulation, interfering with a domestic violence report, disturbing the peace, and domestic violence in one case, and unlawful possession of ammunition and illegal position of controlled substance in another case, stood before Associate Judge Joseph N Camacho last Friday after being caught in violation of his bail conditions, with possession of drugs.

Camacho imposed a cash bail of $50,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Sanchez on July 19, 2024 at 10am and an arraignment hearing on July 22, 2024 at 9am. Sanchez was transferred back to the custody of the Department of Corrections. Assistant attorney general David Karch will represent the government in the case and Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig was appointed as an attorney for Sanchez.

According to court documents, on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at around 4:09pm, officers from the Criminal Investigation Bureau received crucial information regarding the whereabouts of Michael S. Olaitiman from a confidential source. The source had spotted Olaitiman in a vehicle parked at the Saipan Vegas parking lot. Officers promptly followed up on this lead and located Olaitiman in the front passenger seat of a black Toyota Hilux, which was driven by Kelvin Sanchez.

Upon arrival, officers recognized Sanchez, noting his previous encounters with law enforcement and his current release conditions. At approximately 4:16pm, officers arrested Sanchez for contempt, citing his violation of bail conditions that required him to remain under house arrest and in the company of a third-party custodian. Both Olaitiman and Sanchez were subsequently transported to DOC for booking and detention.

Later that evening, at around 4:28pm, the Hilux Sanchez was driving was towed to the Department of Public Safety impound lot. During the vehicle inventory, officers discovered a mini clear Ziplock baggie containing a white crystal-like substance in a black bag located on the driver’s floor panel, along with Sanchez’s identification card.

By 6:10pm, a task force officer, witnessed by other officers, tested the substance using a TruNarc device, which returned a positive result for methamphetamine. The baggie’s contents weighed in at 3.4 grams gross.

The following day, Thursday, July 11, 2024, at around 2:02pm, officers arrived at the DOC to interview Sanchez but learned he had been released at 10:45am after posting bail for a bench warrant from a previous traffic case.

Based on these events, officers believe there is probable cause to support charges of possession under 6CMC-2142. Therefore, a request has been made for an arrest warrant, with bail set according to the court’s discretion.