U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona granted the federal government’s request for Pangelinan’s detention pending revocation hearing, and continued the matter next week.
Pangelinan has denied the allegations that he was continuously contacting online scammers despite the U.S. Probation Office’s repeated instructions not to do so.
Pangelinan’s counsel, Joseph James Norita Camacho who was recently appointed as CNMI Superior Court judge, moved to withdraw from the case.
Camacho requested the court that attorney Michael N. Evangelista be appointed to represent Pangelinan.
The court ruled that a new counsel would be appointed for Pangelinan.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Backe represents the federal government.
In April 2007, Pangelinan was sentenced to three years and one month imprisonment after being convicted in a jury trial for five counts of wire fraud that victimized individuals through internet fraud schemes.
Pangelinan was ordered to pay $129,250 in restitution to five victims. He was placed on three years of supervised release upon release from federal prison.
