U.S. District Court for the NMI Designated Judge David Wiseman set no bail for Damien Pua and Dexter Maratita during the initial hearing.
Pua and Maratita were arrested in As Matuis.
They appeared in court without counsel, while Assistant U.S. Attorney James Benedetto represented the federal government.
Federal Probation Officer Melinda Brunson was also present during the hearing.
Pua has a prior conviction for second degree homicide, while Maratita is a convicted theft.
Benedetto moved for no bail against the defendants “due to flight risk and danger to the community.”
Wiseman granted the motion and set Sept. 25 as preliminary examination hearing for Pua and Maratita.
A cooperating source from the CNMI’s Department of Public Safety provided information that led to the arrest of Pua and Maratita.
The operation to buy firearms from the defendants were conducted with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the ATF Guam Resident Office and the U.S. Marshals Service.
On Feb. 19, 2009, with $500 in ATF official advance funds, a cooperating source purchased a blue Colt. .357 Magnum revolver with obliterated serial number and several bullets from Pua.
The revolver was wrapped in an oily rag, ATF special agent Hoang M. Nguyen said.
On March 17, 2009, a cooperating source purchased a Colt .25 caliber pistol, model unknown, and with serial number D53250, worth $350 from Maratita, Nguyen said.
