AGO files motion for a stay in Torres case

The Attorney General’s Office filed a motion yesterday for a stay of the proceedings in the case against former congressman Stanley Torres, pending the recent appeal of a Superior Court order filed by the office.

The AGO’s chief prosecutor David Hutton requested that the ruling on the motion be made no later than Monday, July 19, to provide the prosecution the necessary time to file an emergency stay with the Supreme Court should it be denied.

The motion is in regards to the appeal filed by the AGO of the ruling by Superior Court judge Juan T. Lizama that directed the AGO to amend the criminal information against Torres to bear the name of the attorney general—Pamela Brown.

In the motion, Hutton said the Commonwealth is moving to stay proceedings on this basis “because the issue of whether the court’s decision in granting the Commonwealth’s motion is correct but the mandate in doing so is in error.”

Deputy attorney general Clyde Lemons Jr. and Hutton signed the original documents that charged Torres with five counts of misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit theft, conspiracy to commit theft by deception and illegal use of public supplies, services, time and personnel in each of the offenses.

Torres’ co-defendant, Frank S. Ada, faces four counts each of conspiracy to commit theft and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and illegal use of public supplies, services, time and personnel, while legislative staff Dorothy Sablan had five counts filed against her on each of the last three offenses. Each of the defendants has been charged with an additional five counts of theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property against her.

The criminal information alleged that Sablan received at least five checks totaling $5,384.67 in government payroll in 2003 while working as Torres’ office manager, when she was actually off-island. Ada allegedly prepared fraudulent time and attendance sheets indicating that Sablan had performed her duties when she was off-island

Torres and Brown have been at odds with one another dating back to the time of her confirmation by the Senate for her nomination as attorney general. Soon after Brown was confirmed to the post, the charges against the congressman were filed in court. The AGO claimed that the investigation of the Torres began before Brown was even confirmed.