SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho imposed a $100,000 cash bail on each of two defendants who were arrested for illegal possession of methamphetamine, a rifle and ammunition.
Brandon Lizama Benavente and Consalacion Muna Sablan appeared in the custody of the Department of Corrections at a bail hearing on Friday.
Benavente, 39, and Sablan, 30, were charged with possession, violation of storage of firearms, persons permitted to possess ammunition, and firearms owner’s identification card requirement exceptions.
Benavente was represented by court-appointed attorney Vince Seman while Sablan was represented by the Public Defender’s Office. Assistant Attorney General Heather Barcinas appeared for the government.
After the hearing both defendants were remanded to the custody of Corrections and were ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 9 at 11 a.m., and for an arraignment on March 4 at 9 a.m.
Background
According to the complaint against the couple, on Jan. 31, Judge Camacho signed a search warrant for the apartment and vehicle of Benavente and Sablan relating to a burglary and theft case.
On Feb. 1, the Department of Public Safety-Rapid Response Team executed the search warrant on the couple’s apartment and found a Daisy .22 long rifle leaning against the wall by the mirror.
Initial search of the couple’s vehicle using a K9 also resulted in the discovery of a broken glass pipe in the rear passenger seat, and a clear mini-Ziploc bag containing marijuana and two orange pills in the dashboard ashtray.
Police said during the search of the apartment, they found stolen items and other evidence of burglary and theft.
The DPS search team also found multiple mini-Ziploc bags containing white crystalline-like substances on a table, in a drawer and in a bag on the sofa. Police likewise found 30 units of .22 caliber ammunition.
The field test of the crystalline-like substances in the mini-Ziploc bags yielded positive for methamphetamine. 4.2 grams of meth were confiscated by the task force.
Investigators also verified the serial number on the rifle found in the house and learned that it was not registered.
