Sex offender nabbed for alleged assault

A registered CNMI sex offender was arrested in Garapan Friday night on charges that he touched a court employee’s butt while at a waiting line at the cashier counter in the Judicial Complex.

Mino Ansa Phillip, 32, was arrested for multiple counts of assault and battery (sexual assault), contempt of court, and disturbing the peace.

At yesterday’s hearing, Superior Court associate judge Kenneth Govendo imposed a $1,000 cash bail for Phillip’s temporary liberty. Preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 15 and arraignment for Oct. 20. The Public Defender’s Office was appointed to represent the defendant.

Detective Kelly Ignacio N. Camacho stated in his report that on Aug. 27, 2008, at 9:32am, a probation officer called police and reported that a probationer was drunk and disturbing other people in the courthouse.

Camacho said preliminary investigation showed that Phillip had proceeded immediately to the front of the line when he went to the cashier to pay his bill. The cashier, who detected a strong odor of alcohol on Phillip, instructed him to proceed to the back of the line. Phillip did so and came behind a female court employee, who alleged that the suspect touched her left butt cheek. The court staff confronted Phillip for touching her.

The incident prompted the cashier to call court marshals Jesse Santos and J.K. Atalig, who escorted Phillip to the Adult Probation Office. A police officer came and arrested Phillip. A breathalyzer test indicated that the defendant’s blood alcohol level was beyond the legal limit.