VINCENT Masga Songsong has pled guilty to the charge of possession of child pornography at a change of plea hearing on April 5, 2024.
Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI found Songsong to be fully competent to enter a knowing and voluntary plea and accepted his guilty plea.
Judge Manglona vacated the jury trial set for May 14, 2024, and scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 12, 2024, at 1:30 pm.
The judge also unsealed the plea agreement Songsong signed with the U.S. government, which was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Flores Jr.
According to the plea agreement:
“On or about June 22, 2023, in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands, defendant knowingly possessed matter containing a visual depiction that had been shipped and transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and defendant knew that the production of said visual depiction involved the use of a minor — specifically, a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained twelve years of age — engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and that said visual depiction was of this conduct.
“Specifically, on or about June 22, 2023, defendant possessed a Samsung Galaxy A13 cellular phone, serial number R58T5Z5K3H, on defendant’s person. Defendant acquired the device in February of 2023, and used the device to access pornographic websites on the World Wide Web via the internet. During the approximate four-month period of owning the device, defendant routinely accessed pornographic websites containing material with prepubescent minors who had not yet attained twelve years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct (child pornography). Defendant knowingly downloaded the child pornography onto his device for his personal use.
“By June 22, 2023, defendant’s device contained at least 1,500 images of child pornography, and 150 videos of child pornography, which defendant personally downloaded for his use. The images and videos containing child pornography downloaded by defendant through the World Wide Web and internet were stored on databases located outside of the CNMI. Each image downloaded by defendant required transporting the images through interstate commerce.”
Under the plea agreement, the U.S. government will recommend 10 years imprisonment for Songsong and forfeiture of any personal property or devices used to commit or to promote the offense.
Songsong, represented by attorney Joe McDoulett, also said he understood that the pending petition in CR 14-18 will not be terminated until after sentencing.
Songsong has a previous possession of child pornography conviction in case CR 14-18.
On Dec. 3, 2015, Songsong, a resident of Rota, was convicted of possession of child pornography and was sentenced by the federal court to serve 78 months or six years and six months.
He was also ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to one of the victims and to register as a sex offender.
In that case, Songsong pled guilty to possessing “a laptop computer that contained 226 videos involving the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”
