{"id":412566,"date":"2024-08-02T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=412566"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Man-found-guilty-of-utility-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Man-found-guilty-of-utility-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"Man found guilty of utility theft"},"content":{"rendered":"

A man charged with utility theft was found guilty yesterday during Day 2 of his bench trial at the Guma Hustisia in Susupe.<\/p>\n

John Anthony M. Deleon Guerrero appeared before Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho on Wednesday, July 31, and Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in regards to allegations of him tampering with a Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water meter.<\/p>\n

Deleon Guerrero faced charges of theft of utility services, and was represented by assistant public defender Molly Dennert, with Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig also at the defense table. Assistant attorney general Frances Demapan prosecuted the case for the government.<\/p>\n

During Day 1 of the trial, prosecution called several witnesses, including police officer Elijah Villar, CUC meter reader Daniel James L. Cruz, DPS Crime Scene technician Sgt. Daniel Kintol, DPS evidence custodian Sgt. Therese Manglona, CUC safety technician Delfin Camacho, and CUC meter reader Maximo Attao Jr.<\/p>\n

Delfin Camacho testified that he responded to the tampering incident on Dec. 13, 2023, in Chinatown. \u201cI saw a \u2018straight pipe\u2019 with a spider valve, tampered meter\u2014basically the residence is receiving unmetered water,\u201d he stated. Camacho also recounted his interview with Deleon Guerrero, who admitted to replacing the broken meter for restroom and water tank use.<\/p>\n

Camacho further testified that upon returning to the same residence on Jan. 13, 2024, he observed another \u201cstraight pipe with a ball valve,\u201d describing it as a crude temporary connection. He secured the water meter box cover and reported the incident to DPS.<\/p>\n

In his testimony, Attao emphasized the uniqueness of CUC\u2019s spider valves and the special key needed to open the main water line. \u201cYou cannot buy a spider valve at any hardware store,\u201d Attao noted, adding that there are other tampering cases involving these specific valves.<\/p>\n

According to the prosecution, Deleon Guerrero \u201ctampered with CUC\u2019s water meter\u2026to obtain utility services without payment,\u201d with the value of the service less than $250. This violation of 6 CMC 1609 carries a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, a $1,000 fine, or both.<\/p>\n

On Day 2, prosecution brought CUC foreman Glenn Dikito and CUC fiscal analyst Shani Cabrera.<\/p>\n

Dikito, one of the foremen who had been the one to disable the connection after the discovery, was presented with the aforementioned \u201cspider and ball valve\u201d and when asked if CUC normally used the connection, he said no. He also said that the spider valve was not regularly available in stores on Saipan and was \u201ctotally illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dikito, he added that a normal meter used would be able to detect the amount of water usage, and said of the spider \u201cthis will not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through the witness\u2019 testimony, prosecution pointed out that although the valve was not regularly available, once a person had it the process was something a person with basic knowledge of plumbing could install.<\/p>\n

Cabrera was questioned about Deleon Guerrero\u2019s accounts and it was known that it wasn\u2019t an account under Deleon Guerrero\u2019s name but under the name of a relative. According to Cabrera and presented records, there had been pending payments, but a peer had settled accounts in March, but due to protocol, in case of tampering, the reconnection of the utility didn\u2019t happen until the process was approved by DPS and the Office of the Attorney General.<\/p>\n

Defense made an oral motion for judgment of acquittal. After both parties made arguments, the court denied the defendant\u2019s motion for judgment of acquittal.<\/p>\n

The court found Deleon Guerrero guilty of the count of theft of utility services and based on the matters adduced, a sentencing hearing was scheduled for Oct. 16, 2024 at 10am in Camacho\u2019s courtroom.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

John Deleon Guerrero walks to his bail hearing after a short recess yesterday at the Superior Court in Susupe.<\/p>\n

-CHRYSTAL MARINO
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