Only 1 in ‘ice’ case goes ahead with federal trial

Only one of three defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute “ice” continued with the jury trial in federal court yesterday as the prosecution moved to dismiss the case against the other defendant while the third defendant entered a plea agreement.

The trial of Julita A. Sablan began yesterday with Rota Customs Lt. Albert A. Taitano taking the witness stand. When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom Taitano was still on the witness stand.

Taitano testified how he and other agents from the Department of Public Safety, Customs, and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the search warrant at Sablan’s residence in Tanapag last April.

Assistant U.S. attorney Craig Moore yesterday morning orally moved to dismiss with finality the case against Sablan’s co-defendant Greg Twelbang Magofna.

Saipan Tribune learned that U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson had asked Moore to file a written motion.

The third defendant, Ismike Magofna, through counsel Stephanie Flores, signed a plea agreement with the U.S. government.

Ismike Magofna (brother of Greg Magofna) was set to plead guilty yesterday at 4:30pm to distribution of a controlled substance—.044 gram of “ice.”

Under the agreement, the charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute filed against Ismike Magofna will be dismissed.

In the second superseding indictment, Sablan and the Magofna brothers were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of a controlled substance.

According to the indictment, between April and September 2006, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute “ice.”

On April 6, 2006, Sablan and Greg Magofna allegedly possessed with intent to distribute .065 grams of “ice.”

On Sept. 13, 2006, Sablan and Ismike Magofna allegedly possessed with intent to distribute “ice.”

DEA alleged that their confidential source managed to purchase $200 worth of “ice” from Sablan at her residence in Tanapag.

The DEA-CNMI Task Force agents, with the assistance of police officers, also seized many appliances, including six TV sets, during the raid at Sablan’s house.

Sablan pleaded not guilty. Attorney Steven Pixley is her court-appointed counsel.

Court records show that in May 1998, the federal court sentenced Sablan to six months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for distribution of “ice.”

In August 2000, the federal court found that Sablan violated again some conditions of her probation. The court revoked her probation and sentenced her to nine months in prison plus 27 months of supervised release. [I][B](Ferdie de la Torre)[/B][/I]