U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona granted Maria Nina Dolot Castro’s request, and scheduled the defendant’s jury trial for Dec. 5, 2011.
In granting the defendant’s requests, Manglona said the ends of justice would be served allowing the defense further time to review the evidence in preparation for trial and further time to pursue plea negotiations outweigh any other interests the public or the defendant may have in a speedy trial.
Castro, who is represented by court-appointed counsel Steven Pixley, informed the court in her signed consent to waive that she “voluntarily and knowingly agree to waive any right I have to a speedy trial in order to allow me to explore the possibility of a pre-indictment disposition with my counsel and the attorney for the government.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Benedetto is prosecuting the case.
Castro, who was arrested late last month, has been released on a $5,000 unsecured bond with pre-trial release conditions imposed by the federal court.
In his complaint, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations special agent Clayton T. Statler said Castro accepted money orders to pay certain application fees for immigration processing, but instead used the money orders for her own purposes, from on or about Oct. 27, 2009 through on or about March 2001.
Castro was an employee at the Danilo T. Aguilar law office, according to court documents.
The victims, a couple, reported to ICE on Aug. 26, 2011 that Castro was not filing their immigration applications.
The applications were for the adjustment of the status of the couple’s two minor children to lawful permanent resident status.
Four money orders were received by USCIS on Dec. 21, 2009, but not the fifth money order, amounting to $1,000, the complaint stated.
