SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo sentenced Joseph Lee to eight years in prison for burglary and theft, all suspended except for four years and with credit for time served.
Lee, 27, was involved in four criminal cases. He pled guilty in Criminal Case No. 24-0001-CR to the offense of burglary, and in Criminal Case No. 24-0038-CR to the offense of theft.
The charges of theft in Criminal Case 24-0040-CR and Criminal Case 24-0039-CR were dismissed by the government after he pled guilty.
In 24-0001-CR, Lee was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, all suspended except for four years, not subject to parole or early release, with credit for 60 days of time served.
In 24-0038-CR, Lee was also sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, all suspended except for four years, not subject to parole or early release, with credit for 140 days of time served.
The sentences will run concurrently, which means Lee shall be released from the custody of the Department of Corrections on March 1, 2028, at 8 a.m.
Judge Govendo also ordered the defendant to pay $125 in court costs and fine.
Lee will be placed on supervised probation for 10 years beginning on March 1, 2028. In addition, he will pay a $1,210 probation fee, and a total restitution of $34,668 to the victims.
According to the sentencing order, Lee shall also perform 160 hours of community service at a rate of no fewer than eight hours per month.
He was ordered to stay away from the victims, to cooperate with the Office of the Attorney General and truthfully testify against his co-defendants, Dane Jay Lisua, Gyles Ruluked and Anthony Ilo, at any hearing or court proceeding, including testifying at trial or revocation hearings against the individuals involved.
Lee was arrested on May 2, 2024 for stealing two vacuum cleaners and a humidifier from the Marianas Eye Institute. Later, he was arrested again for stealing a brush-cutter from a Garapan resident.
In December 2023, Lee was arrested for robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace after he attacked with a knife a resident who caught him stealing $5,000 worth of various items at a house on Navy Hill.
