By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
ONE of the three suspects in a criminal trespass and vandalism case has been cited for immigration violations.
Maverick Espinosa, 44, appeared in a wheelchair Thursday under the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at a removal proceeding in Saipan Immigration Court.
Honolulu Immigration Judge Clarence Wagner appeared via teleconference and informed Espinosa that the notice to appear charges him with being removable from U.S. jurisdiction. The judge said Espinosa’s conditional permanent resident card expired on Dec. 12, 2020, and was never extended.
“Because of that, you are removable,” Judge Wagner told Espinosa, who did not have an attorney.
The court set another hearing for Espinosa for March 4.
Espinosa, along with Shabo Sablan and Marco Biadang, was arrested after the Department of Public Safety responded to a theft-in-progress report at the former Kanoa Resort in Susupe on Jan. 28 about 11:37 a.m. All three were charged with criminal trespass and vandalism.
According to DPS, officers arrived at the scene around 11:46 a.m. and were informed by facility security that the suspects had fled on foot. Officers conducted a foot search and found one suspect screaming in pain after injuring his leg when he jumped from the second floor of the building. An officer provided medical aid until medics arrived.
A preliminary investigation found that a security guard discovered the suspects attempting to remove copper wiring from a panel box that had been forcibly opened. All three fled when confronted.
The injured suspect was transported to the CHCC Emergency Room for treatment. The two other suspects were later located and arrested.
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.
