CHIEF Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI and Chief Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood of the District Court of Guam have assigned Guam Magistrate Judge Michael J. Bordallo to the case involving former NMI Bar Association Executive Director Peonie Cabrera.
Cabrera has been accused of fraudulently withdrawing cash from the bar association’s bank account and cashing checks owned by the CNMI Bar for her personal use.
On May 28, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the NMI charged Cabrera with two counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
The offenses took place between April 2019 and May 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
An order issued on Thursday stated: “This court finds that an emergency necessitates the assignment of this case to Magistrate Judge Michael J. Bordallo of the District Court of Guam. Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona and Magistrate Judge Heather L. Kennedy of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands are unable to handle this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)(4) and the Court is unable to find an alternate judge to conduct pretrial proceedings in this matter. Magistrate Judge Bordallo’s assignment shall continue until trial commences or judgment is entered, whichever occurs first, and he is authorized to perform, with respect to this case, all duties of a magistrate judge of this district under this court’s Local Rules.”
Recently, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’ Malley requested the federal court to schedule a change of plea hearing in the case against Cabrera.
According to O’Malley, Cabrera signed a plea agreement with the U.S. government and filed it in court on May 28.
He requested to have a hearing today, Friday, May 31.
The plea agreement signed by the parties was sealed by the court.
As of press time Thursday, the federal court had not scheduled a hearing for Cabrera’s case.
