THE jury trial of Bernardo Rey Ragu has been rescheduled by the Superior Court.
Ragu, 46, was charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree. His jury trial was initially set for Oct. 7.
After a hearing on Sept. 26 regarding the defendant’s motion to exclude evidence of other crimes, wrongs, acts, or conviction, and a Daubert hearing, Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo rescheduled the jury trial for Dec. 16 at 9 a.m.
A Daubert hearing is a legal proceeding used to determine the admissibility of expert witness testimony in court.
“All pending motions will be heard on the pre-trial conference currently set for Dec. 5, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. All parties are ordered to appear at the scheduled hearing,” Judge Govendo said in his order.
According to the information filed against the defendant, “Sometime between Feb. 1, 2019 [and] March 31, 2020, in an incident separate and [distinct] from other counts, … Bernardo Rey Ragu … intentionally engaged in sexual contact with a minor … who was under 13 years of age, to wit: defendant touched the minor’s private part, in violation of 6 CMC 1307 (a)(2).”
Each of the three counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree is punishable with a sentence of no less than five years and a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of not more than $10,000 or both.