Former Palasia Hotel security officer charged with 35 counts of criminal charges

Assistant Attorney General Ronald K. Ledgerwood on May 29 filed charges of burglary, three counts of grand larceny, four counts of cheating, four counts of forgery, attempted cheating, two counts of obstructing justice, two counts of assault and battery and 18 counts of unlicensed sale or distribution of tobacco products against Jermain Eliam, the former security officer of Palasia Hotel in Koror.Eliam appeared for arraignment on June 13 before Associate Justice Kathleen M. Salii and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.Eliam’s cash bail was set for $500.The affidavit of probable cause submitted in court stated that a Japanese photographer Akihiko Harimoto made a statement to the police on December 15 and reported that he left his room at about 5 am until 2:20 pm and at 3:30 pm to 8 pm.The tourist stated that when he returned to his hotel room, he noticed that his black Macintosh laptop computer and his passport were already missing.The victim reported to the police the following day that his mobile phone, camera, dive watch and and credit cards were also missing.The affidavit stated that one security officer identified as Eliam had gone missing from his post between 5 am and 6:30 am.The affidavit stated that a hotel employee who had been looking for Eliam had seen him around 6 am at the 7^th floor holding a black bag.The defendant was “acting nervous” according to the affidavit.On the morning of December 16, 2007, the police received a call from a clerk at One Nation store in Medalaii, Deepar Butani  that a Palauan male was trying to use a credit card in Harimoto’s name to purchase a computer and a cellular phone.Eliam was positively identified by the clerk as the one who tried to purchase items using the victim’s credit card.The police put an alert to locate Eliam until he was located on December 16.  A pursuit occurred until Eliam was found at the residence of Paul Ueki in Idid.The defendant resisted arrest and assaulted the police officers by pushing them into large concrete blocks and run away.The officer subdued Eliam and arrested him later.The affidavit added that Eliam used Harimoto’s credit card when he purchased beers, ice tea and cigarettes on December 15.The victim’s laptop that was sold by Eliam at $80 was later recovered and was returned to the victim.