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Ex-Treasury worker convicted of theft
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Posted on Aug 29 2005
The U.S. District Court yesterday convicted a former CNMI Treasury employee who was charged with theft from an organization receiving federal funds.
Specifically, the charge against Jessica Jean Aldan Castro accused her of pocketing government revenue collections through Labor and Immigration fees. It charged Castro of stealing some $14,120 by voiding receipts from several transactions from about December 2002 to December 2003.
Chief Judge Alex R. Munson convicted Castro after the defendant changed her “innocent” plea to “guilty.” Lawyer Bruce Berline assisted Castro in yesterday’s court hearing. The judge set Castro’s sentencing on Dec. 6.
The federal government charged Castro in court last June, stepping into a case of public corruption within the CNMI government.
In an indictment, federal prosecutor Jamie Bowers pointed out that the CNMI Department of Labor and Immigration and the Finance Department—Treasury Division’s head agency—are agencies of the CNMI government that receive over $10,000 in federal funds each year.
The indictment accused Castro of committing the offense while she was employed at the Treasury Division and assigned at the DOLI, where she was responsible for revenue collection relating to all Labor and Immigration fees.
Bowers said the defendant fraudulently voided receipts from various transactions and knowingly stole cash paid by customers, in an amount totaling approximately $14,120.
