Yong Ming Song, 41, an employee Rifu garment factory in San Vicente, entered a not guilty plea to the charges of possession of a controlled substance during his arraignment on Friday.
Designated U.S. District Court for the NMI Presiding Judge David A. Wiseman said any other motion with the court should be filed not later than seven days prior to the trial.
The defendant appeared with his court-appointed counsel, Joey San Nicolas, while the federal government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Benedetto.
The defendant waived advisement of his rights and the reading of the indictment.
The federal government moved that the defendant be detained pending trial.
The defense reserved the right for a motion for bail at a later time.
The court granted the government’s motion, without prejudice, and remanded the defendant to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service until further order of the court.
Based on the indictment, the defendant possessed, with the intent to distribute, 138 grams of “ice” on Sept. 11, 2008 while within 1,000 feet near Marianas High School.
In his affidavit, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Daniel Holcomb stated that at about 10:40 p.m. on Sept. 11, the Department of Public Safety police officers saw the defendant driving a white Toyota Corolla. The driver, later identified as the defendant was not wearing a seatbelt.
As the Corolla entered Susupe, Sgt. Anthony Macaranas stopped the vehicle. They saw the driver trying to put on his seatbelt.
When they asked the driver to hand over his license, they saw that he was shaking and sweating.
The police officers also detected a strong odor of alcohol in the defendant’s breath.
They ordered the defendant, who appeared unsteady and still shaking, to get out of the vehicle.
When they asked if he had anything illegal in the car, the defendant shook his head and said “no” but when the police officers searched the car, they found a plastic bag with a duffel bag inside it.
Police recovered 15 small Ziplock bags containing a foil package that had a crushed, glass like substance inside which later tested positive for methamphetamine.
Song later said that a friend asked him to pick up a package in the Price Costco parking lot.
When he didn’t find any package, he got another call telling him to pick the package from the bus stop at the intersection of Quartermaster Road.
Holcomb placed Song under arrest and transported him to the CNMI Department of Corrections.
