HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The hearing on Tuesday in federal court was to discuss former Yona Mayor Jesse Blas’ plea to get out of prison in less than three years, but the case before her prompted U.S. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood to wonder what happened to the broader public corruption investigation related to Blas’ case.
The discussion about public corruption stemmed from federal prosecutor Laura Sambataro’s argument against the early release of Blas, and from her assertion that public officials are held to a higher standard.
“At the end of the day, those of us who seek…public office are held to a higher status.… This is someone who severely betrayed the public’s trust on the island. It was his conduct when he committed the crime. This is someone who really hurt the citizens of this island even though it was a sting operation. The victims of his case really are the citizens of Guam,” the federal prosecutor said during the hearing.
Blas was accused of accepting bribes and extorted money in exchange for the use of cluster mailboxes under his office’s control for drug-dealing operations.
Federal investigators and court documents filed by the prosecution in Blas’ case said Blas talked about his connections with the local court’s probation system and prison. Local and federal defendants facing drug charges were not arrested or escaped drug testing and, in the case of two women facing drug charges, they had affairs with the then-mayor, court documents stated.
The case resulted in federal investigators testifying about an unnamed officer with the Guam Police Department and about former Department of Corrections deputy director and former Superior Court Marshal Joey Terlaje’s dealings with Blas.
“What about the other public officials?” Judge Tydingco-Gatewood asked the federal prosecutor during Tuesday’s hearing.
“We prosecute what we can prove,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sambataro said.
“You gave him a sweetheart deal,” Judge Tydingco-Gatewood said. “It appears there is an absence in prosecuting the other co-conspirators.… If public corruption is such a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I’m sorry, I am only seeing part of it and not all of it. What happened to the other cases?”
“We are not miracle workers, your honor. We do our best,” Sambataro said. “But, when someone is out early after committing such a violation, it sends a message to the people in terms of corruption.”
Gout pain
Blas currently works in the kitchen of the Federal Correctional Institution, La Tuna, in West Texas, and now waits for a federal judge to decide if he can get out of prison early.
Blas, 59, who has five months left of his 37-month sentence for extortion, appeared via phone before the federal judge, seeking compassionate release.
Defense attorney Laura Paul argued that he has serious medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, plus his weight and age “create a perfect storm” and put him at risk for the virus that causes Covid-19.
“He has gout [which is] not being well managed by Bureau of Prisons, swelling in his leg.… He is authorized to have a CPAP machine, but they have not given clearance needed to use it. He was told to get labs, but even that hasn’t happened,” said Paul.
Blas told the court that his gout has been an ongoing issue.
“I’ve been bringing it to the attention of the health services only to be told they will schedule a follow-up. I have yet to have any follow-ups on it. I was told I would be seeing a cardiologist even before arriving in La Tuna. That has not happened,” said Blas.
Blas said he asked to see a cardiologist at least four times since he arrived in La Tuna in October and asked via email for his CPAP machine at least five times.
“(Gout) is very dangerous if you have a heart condition,” said Judge Tydingco-Gatewood. “If I release this defendant early, it’ll be because the Federal Bureau of Prisons is not doing their job.”
U.S. Probation did not oppose Blas’ early release, telling the court that he has served 66.6% of his imposed sentence.
Blas, who has been in prison since September 2019, is scheduled to get out prison on May 10, 2022.
“He has a good release plan and is not a danger to the community,” Blas’ attorney said. “He will live on Kauai with his partner, plans to find work, and wants to go to barber school to start a new career. He is going to be able to make a fresh start because, in my reading of what this case is about, it may be difficult for him to come to Guam.”
Recordings
In one recording previously played in Blas’ case, the former mayor was heard scolding his former girlfriend Vickilyn Teregeyo, a local court drug defendant.
“Even though we fought, and I slapped you and choked you and threw you around, s*** happens. I still went out to the court for you and said I didn’t want you locked up,” Blas said in the recording. “I am connected to that courthouse, and I can make s*** happen. They were pushing to get that warrant out and it had nothing to do with Joey Terlaje.”
The FBI has testified that at least six people — including Terlaje — were under investigation, adding that Blas hit Teregeyo and Terlaje dragged her into a residence at a barbecue, where she was held hostage for three days, court documents state.
Federal prosecutors have not filed any charges against the other public officials who were investigated in connection to Blas’ case.
In a separate federal case, drug convict Mark Mayo alerted the FBI to an apparent scheme involving the local Adult Probation Office and Blas.
“I know he was Lovelia’s boyfriend. He was dating her and those young chicks. I don’t know much of him,” Mayo told investigators. “What I do know is who the point of contact was after I was warranted twice. I didn’t want to go to jail, so Lovelia (Mendoza) told me to go see somebody at the court system, but I never went. I think it was the mayor. Lovelia said to go see them at Probation and they would lift my warrant.”
Mendoza has since pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine hydrochloride in the case involving Mayo and others.
Then-Yona Mayor Jesse Mendiola Blas is escorted into the District Court of Guam by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service and Office of Homeland Security on Sept. 24, 2019.
