Benavente, 34, pleaded guilty on June 7, 2011 and was sentenced to six years incarceration at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for the offense of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21 United States Code Section 841.
On March 28, 2011, Benavente ordered methamphetamine from a supplier off-island and sent the supplier cash through money transfers.
The supplier sent a package containing 13.6 gross grams of methamphetamine to Benavente. Benavente arranged for co-defendant Laura Jean Fejerang to pick up the parcel and for Borja to drive them to the Barrigada Post Office.
When Benavente saw agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration approaching the vehicle, he instructed Borja to take off. They crashed into a vehicle driven by Rodney Yara, an employee of Allied Builders, and fled the scene.
The chief judge imposed the six-year sentence and ordered Benavente to attend intensive drug treatment during his incarceration and to pay restitution of $8,600 to Allied Builders.
Benavente’s incarceration is to include a supervised release term of four years. Co-defendant Laura Jean Fejerang is awaiting sentencing.
Borja, 26, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2011 to accessory after the fact, in violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 3, for assisting Benavente and hindering and preventing Benavente’s apprehension.
He was sentenced on Oct. 12, 2011 to a probation term of five years. Benavente and Borja were both ordered to pay restitution of $8,600, jointly and severally, to Allied Builders.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosetta San Nicolas and investigated by federal agents and local task force officers assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
