Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja set a status conference for March 14, 2011, and required the presence of the defendants.
Hong Wang and Lin Lin Song have denied the charges of trafficking of controlled substance, illegal possession of controlled substance, conspiracy to commit trafficking of controlled substance, and child neglect.
Lin Lin Song had been allowed to post $3,000 cash or 10 percent of the $30,000 bail order, and $27,000 in unsecured or appearance bond.
It could not be determined if Lin Lin Song posted bail.
The court has denied three times the motions to modify bail for Hong Wang, also being held on a $30,000 cash bail.
Police arrested Hong Wang and Lin Lin Song on July 20, 2010
A cooperating source told police that Wang traded “ice” for stolen items, such as laptops, PSP, pieces of jewelry, i-Phones and digital cameras.
In his motion to oppose bail modification for Hong Wang, Assistant Attorney General Peter B. Prestley, who is prosecuting the case, said Hong Wang poses a significant danger to the community and is a flight risk.
Prestley pointed out that the evidence against Hong Wang “is significant.”
He said Hong Wang’s “only means of support is still engaging in criminal activity,” such as operating an illegal taxi cab and selling “ice” in exchange for stolen electronic items and cash.
Noting that Hong Wang’s recommended third party custodian is a government employee, Prestley said if the defendant is released, “the court will have no assurance [he] can support himself in any other way than continuing to engage in criminal conduct thereby posing a danger to the community.”
“In these times of economic hardship, evidenced by the recent government shutdown and austerity measures,” Prestley said “it is unlikely that [Hong Wang’s] proposed third party custodian…would be willing to financially support the defendant until his trial.”
The proposed third party custodian is Rudy S. Pangelinan who works for the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
At the time Hong Wang and Lin Lin Song were dealing drugs, they brought their two-year-old child in their vehicle, the prosecution said.
Among the pieces of evidence seized from the defendants was a laptop with a CNMI government tag, court documents showed.
It could not be immediately determined from what CNMI agency the laptop was stolen.
