By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
JAWN Joyner and Luwan Angui Reyes have successfully completed the CNMI Drug Court program, earning recognition for maintaining sobriety and meeting all program requirements without any violations.
At a special ceremony held Friday, Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds requested the dismissal of charges against both participants with prejudice — a motion granted by Superior Court Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio.
Joyner had been arrested for selling methamphetamine, while Reyes faced charges of burglary and theft. Those charges were held in abeyance during their participation in the program.
Their graduation marks the 103rd completion since the Drug Court launched the program in December 2016. It operates as a collaborative, non-adversarial system to support the rehabilitation and recovery of drug offenders through continuous court monitoring, regular drug testing, and holistic treatment for drug dependency.
Judge Kim-Tenorio praised the program’s impact and the community’s evolving understanding of addiction.
“We have about 40 active participants and several more on the wait list,” she said. “We still enjoy an 80 percent success rate. Our graduates are doing very well, and what makes me happiest is that the stigma is lessening. Our community is starting to understand that drug addiction is a brain disease — not a moral failure.”
She noted the importance of second chances and the role of employment in recovery.
“We’re fortunate to have graduates working in both the private sector and government — at agencies like CHCC, CUC, DLNR, and Customs,” Judge Kim-Tenorio said. “They’ve embraced this opportunity for a second chance at life.”
The judge also highlighted the reliability of Drug Court participants as employees.
“I tell businesses and agencies: once you hire someone, you rarely drug test them. But our participants are tested three times a week, whether they’re employed or not. You know they’re clean.”
Judge Kim-Tenorio shared a personal moment that reflects the emotional impact of recovery.
“When my participants get their driver’s licenses back, I ask them what’s the best part,” she said. “They tell me, ‘I drive with my windows down.’ I ask why, and they say, ‘Because I don’t have to hide anymore. I don’t have to hide from law enforcement.’”
Both Joyner and Reyes, now gainfully employed, expressed gratitude for the support they received throughout their recovery journeys.
Joyner, who completed 23 months in the program, said he initially resisted change.
“When I first entered the Drug Court program, I didn’t come ready to change. In fact, I didn’t want change — I was here because I had to be,” he said. “But through support and treatment, I realized that change wasn’t something being forced on me; it was something being offered to me. I thank God every day that I accepted that offer. This program helped me see that change is not a punishment but a blessing. It’s about rediscovering who you are and reclaiming the life addiction slowly takes away.”
Reyes, who completed 25 months in the program, said the structured environment played a major role in his recovery.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to better my life — for providing me in-house treatment and a safe environment during the most vulnerable times of my journey,” Reyes said. “It really set the tone for my recovery and return to the community.”
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.