Kelvin Cabrera Sanchez
THE Office of the Attorney General-Criminal Division has requested the Superior Court to amend the information against Kelvin Sanchez following the court’s ruling that the police, under the pretext and guise of impounding and inventorying a vehicle, conducted an unconstitutional warrantless criminal investigation that violated the U.S. and CNMI Constitutions.
The court also suppressed the evidence of methamphetamine possession discovered during the search.
Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds, in the request for leave to amend the information against Sanchez, said, “In light of the order from the court, the OAG now asserts that it is in the best interest of the Commonwealth that the information be amended to reflect Count I: Contempt.”
Hinds said the “amendment to Count I does not increase defendant’s exposure to imprisonment. Additionally, the proposed amendment does not necessitate additional discovery. Thus, the Commonwealth contends that this amendment will neither unduly prejudice defendant nor compromise these proceedings.”
On May 19, 2025, Judge Joseph N. Camacho granted the prosecution’s request.
According to the third amended information against Sanchez, “On July 10, 2024, on Saipan, defendant Kelvin Cabrera Sanchez unlawfully, knowingly, and willfully resisted, refused and or failed to obey the Bail Modification Order issued by the Superior Court in Criminal Case 23-0132, to wit: defendant violated the bail modification order’s terms and conditions of release,” which placed Sanchez on house arrest and required that a third-party custodian be present with him at all times.
Sanchez is represented by Assistant Public Defender Molly Dennert.
She earlier told the court that the Department of Public Safety violated her client’s constitutional rights when they towed the vehicle that he had occupied some time prior to his arrest.
“The car was legally and safely parked on private property. It was not impeding traffic, nor was it creating a risk to public safety,” Dennert said.
She asked the court “to suppress any and all evidence obtained as a result of an unconstitutional search and seizure.”
Background
Police said that while they were trying to apprehend Michael Olaitiman on July 10, 2024, pursuant to an issued arrest warrant, they received information from a witness who saw him inside a vehicle parked in the Saipan Vegas parking lot.
Olaitiman was accused of assaulting his partner and threatening to kill her and her children. He was charged with assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, child abuse, disturbing the peace, and domestic violence.
The police executed the arrest warrant on Olaitiman while he was seated in the front passenger seat of a black Toyota Hilux operated by Sanchez.
Detective Melvin Cadiang said he had dealt with Sanchez from previous cases and knew that he was under release conditions.
Detective Britton Cruz placed Sanchez under arrest for contempt in violation of his bail conditions. Sanchez was supposed to be under house arrest and must always be in the company of his third-party custodian.
The Toyota Hilux truck was then towed to the DPS impound lot where an inventory of the vehicle’s contents was conducted.
