The Superior Court has imposed a $30,000 cash bail on 36-year old Joann B. Cabrera for her temporary release for theft and theft by deception charges.
Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona appointed attorney Joe Hill to represent Cabrera, as the lawyer is representing the same client for a previous case.
Chief Prosecutor Kevin Lynch appeared on behalf of the government.
Detective Abraham C. Villagomez filed an affidavit stating that the Department of Public Safety received a call reporting a theft incident at the Sun Leader store in Garapan.
Preliminary investigation showed that three female individuals came to the store cashier’s counter to pay for items they bought at 3:37 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2009.
The complainant said after scanning all the items, one of the three women handed over an American Express credit card, but it was declined.
The woman, who was later identified as Joann Cabrera, told the complainant that she would go to her car to get another credit card to pay but she left the store and took the groceries without paying.
An employee of Sun Leader told police that he helped Cabrera’s companion, later identified as Barbie Borja, put the groceries at the back of her pick-up truck.
A review of the store’s surveillance footage showed that Borja and Cabrera gathered items onto the cashier’s counter.
Cabrera was seen handing over a credit card to pay for groceries amounting to $327.21 but she left without paying.
That was when the complainant called the police for assistance.
Police saw Cabrera’s red Ford Ranger parked outside the San Jose Motel at 4:16 p.m. on that day but Borja, Cabrera and another woman they were with earlier were not there.
In a separate case, Zenita Cabrera, who celebrated her 29th birthday yesterday, has to post a $10,000 cash bail for her temporary freedom. She was represented by Assistant Public Defender Matthew Holley.
Detective Abraham C. Villagomez said in his affidavit that at about 6:54 p.m. on April 1, a female individual from the Café at the Park called to report that one of the customers stole her purse.
Investigation showed that two females came into the Café at the Park at about 6:30 a.m. and asked the complainant if they could use the restroom.
The complainant directed the two women to the restroom.
Afterward, the two thanked her and left, but when she went to get her nametag in her purse by the cashier’s counter, she discovered her purse was already on the ground.
She then called the police upon learning that her wallet containing miscellaneous ID cards and credit cards was missing.
Officer Jesse Cepeda said he saw two female individuals wearing sunglasses inside a silver Toyota Echo.
He followed the car and made a violator stop when the vehicle failed to make a proper left signal by the former Xing Rong Market.
Cepeda approached the two and asked where they came from.
After further investigation, the defendant confessed to stealing the wallet from the complainant at the Café at the Park.
She also showed the police where she threw the wallet.
Villagomez said both women had a long history of theft and other crimes, and both are also on probation.
He said Joann Cabrera was also involved in a theft incident at Sun Leader in Garapan last January.
If the defendants post bail, they must obey several conditions including reporting to court whenever required, staying away from seaports and airports, surrendering travel documents and keeping all appointments with their attorneys.
Manglona placed the defendant on a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, and allowed the Department of Public Safety to conduct random checks to ensure they are in compliance with the bail order.
The preliminary hearing is set for April 9 at 9 a.m., while the arraignment will be held on April 13, at 9 a.m.
