Henry San Nicolas, a son-in-law of Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz, PO1 Gilbert Macaranas, and Carlos Aldan were arrested last week by Tinian police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on “ice” charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Benedetto, who is prosecuting the case, expressed concern about San Nicolas’ pretrial release without determining what happened to his .22 long rifle.
Naraja then directed the Federal Probation Office to provide a detailed account regarding all of San Nicolas’ firearms — two .22 long rifles and a shotgun.
San Nicolas is a municipal dog control officer.
Naraja also directed San Nicolas’s counsel to coordinate with the Tinian mayor’s office for a possible re-assignment of the defendant, and the designation of the defendant’s mother as alternate third party custodian instead of his common-law wife.
Macaranas is to be released to his parents while Aldan is to be released to his partner, Naraja ordered.
The defendants were represented by court-appointed attorneys Joseph Camacho, Anthony Long, and Bruce Berline who was a temporary substitute for Mark Hanson.
San Nicolas is being held on the charge of one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Aldan was indicted on two counts of distribution of a controlled substance while Macaranas was indicted on one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
The three defendants have denied the charges.
Their jury trial was set for July 19.
