Man gets $50K bail after series of domestic violence outbursts

The Superior Court has imposed a $50,000 cash bail on a man accused of assaulting a woman and her child.

After his arrest last Wednesday, Michael Sylvan Olaitiman, 43, made an appearance in the courtroom of Associate Judge Lillian Tenorio in Susupe yesterday, under the custody of the Department of Corrections.

Facing charges of assault and battery, disturbing the peace, and kidnapping, a $50,000 bail was posted for Olaitiman, and a preliminary hearing was set on July 17, 2024 at 9am. An arraignment hearing was also scheduled on July 22, 2024 at 9am.

Assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas will be appearing on behalf of the CNMI government, while Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig is the public defense attorney appointed for Olaitiman.

After the hearing, Olaitiman was remanded back to DOC.

According to court documents, on Jan. 3, 2024, Suprerior Court Associate Kim ‘Tenorio signed an order of protection against Olaitiman. The order expires on Jan. 3, 2025. The order states that Olaitiman shall not molest, attack, strike, threaten, sexually assault, batter, call via telephone, or disturb the peace of the victim and minor children, but on June 27, 2024, at approximately 7:43pm, the Department of Public Safety dispatched units to a disturbance reported at Isla Villas in Capital Hill.

According to the report, officers responded and met with the victim at the Governor’s Office parking lot on Capital Hill, where she disclosed that there is an active order of protection against Olaitiman and requested his removal from her residence at Isla Villas.

She further explained that Olaitiman was at the apartment with her son and she had let him in out of fear after he threatened to kill her and harm the child. Upon arrival at the apartment, officers were informed that Olaitiman had jumped off the balcony.

On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at around 11:25am, officers conducted a follow-up interview with the victim at her home at Isla Villas.

The victim recounted that on Saturday, June 15, 2024, Olaitiman had sent her two messages: One was a picture of her niece, and the other was a picture of her son, accompanied by a threat to harm both children if she did not let him in. Later that day, Olaitiman sent another menacing message, stating, “If I have to find a way in there, I will kill you in front of the kids.” Terrified, she opened the door. Once inside, Olaitiman seized her cell phone from the kitchen counter, threw it on the floor, and smashed it repeatedly with a metal object resembling a hammer until it broke.

The victim described that on Father’s Day, June 16, 2024, Olaitiman slept most of the day, waking between 4pm and 5pm. Upon waking, he was irritable and began accusing her of infidelity. Despite her denials, Olaitiman grew increasingly agitated, eventually holding a knife to her neck. He only relented when she continued to assert her innocence.

On June 18, 2024, after lunch, Olaitiman again initiated an argument with the victim accusing her of talking to someone else. In a fit of rage, he grabbed medical tweezers from the kitchen drawer and struck her just below the left eye, causing her to bleed. He then repeatedly jabbed her in the chest area, fortunately the tweezers did not penetrate.

According to the victim, on June 24, 2024, another violent incident occurred, outside the apartment where Olaitiman, during an argument, attempted to strike her while the children watched. He succeeded in punching her stomach and instructed her to go into the bedroom, kicking her in the back as she passed. Once inside, he aggressively twisted a chunk of her skin on the left side of her stomach. The victim said her 11-year-old son tried to intervene, crying out, “Stop hurting my mom!” when Olaitiman threatened the child, “What if I just punch you in the face?!” and briefly choked him.

The victim said that Olaitiman had been staying at her apartment for nearly two weeks, during which she lived in constant fear, feeling like a hostage. On the day of the report, she was slapped awake by Olaitiman, who demanded she find money. This was the only time she was allowed outside, and she used the opportunity to take her daughter for a walk, eventually running to her parents’ house to call 911.

DPS officers added to the report that they observed various injuries on the victim, including scars and bruising that matched inflicted harm described in the victim’s story.

On July 4, 2024, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho issued an arrest warrant for Olaitiman, and after a manhunt, on Wednesday, July 10, officers were able to apprehend and arrest Olaitiman at the Saipan Vegas building in Gualo Rai.