Mike Alex Muna Gumataotao, 28, who has been employed with the department for eight months, was found with crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during a search of officers’ bags at the start of their shift at the Mangilao prison, court documents state.
Judge Benjamin Sison released him on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond. His next court hearing is Oct. 10.
Gumataotao was charged with promoting major prison contraband, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and official misconduct, among other charges, according to the magistrate’s complaint filed in the Superior Court.
On Friday evening, the Corrections’ Special Operations Response Team conducted an administrative search on all officers reporting for duty.
During the search, one officer who has been employed with the department for five years was found in possession of tobacco products and was booked and released. The officer who was released has been identified as Christopher M. Santos, The Guam Daily Post has confirmed.
The officers’ bags were searched around 1:05 a.m.
Mike Gumataotao
During the search, each member of the incoming shift identified their personal bags that were located within the central hub operations room.
Members of the Special Operations Response Team performed the administrative searches and located a bottle of lotion within Gumataotao’s bag. Court documents state the SORT officers found the following in Gumataotao’s bag:
- a clear plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance later confirmed via field test to be methamphetamine;
- two plastic hypodermic syringes;
- three plastic straws, sealed on each end, containing suspected marijuana; and
- a cellphone.
“When confronted with the contraband, Officer Gumataotao admitted to possessing and bringing the bottle of lotion into [Corrections], but denied that he knew the contents of the bottle,” according to the prosecution in court documents.
Both officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Department of Corrections said it will “continue to ensure that every effort is taken to stop the introduction of contraband into its facilities.”
