CASSANDRA Castro, who drove drunk and crashed a vehicle with her two daughters inside, has pled guilty to one count of child neglect and one count of drinking under the influence of alcohol on March 6, 2025.
Superior Court Judge Kenneth L. Govendo accepted Castro’s guilty plea, stating that her decision was made “freely, knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently,” with the advice of competent counsel and a full understanding of its consequences.
In a four-page judgment of conviction and commitment order issued on Tuesday, Judge Govendo sentenced Castro to three years’ imprisonment but all suspended except for 70 days.
Castro was given two days’ credit for time served and ordered to report to the Department of Corrections on May 20, 2025 at 1 p.m. to begin her incarceration. She will be released on July 26, 2025 at 1 p.m.
Judge Govendo also ordered Castro to pay a $1,000 fine and court cost of $25 on or before the expiration of her probationary period.
As part of her sentence, Castro will be placed under supervised probation for two years starting on March 6, 2025.
She will pay a $240 probation fee, perform 100 hours of community service, not drive until she obtains a valid driver’s license, undergo evaluation by the Community Guidance Center for recommended treatment, refrain from possessing or consuming alcohol or any illegal substances, and be subject to blood, breath, or urine test.
Noncompliance shall be grounds for contempt charges and revocation of probation.
Castro is represented by Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig while Assistant Attorney General David Karch appeared for the government.
According to the information filed against her, “Castro did, through willful or negligent act or omission, fail to provide her [two] daughters … under the age of 18 who were in defendant’s custody, with adequate supervision, medical care, food, clothing or shelter in that defendant operated a motor vehicle, after consuming alcoholic beverages, at an unsafe speed between 70 and 80 miles per hour, while swerving and answering a call on her mobile phone, and the vehicle crashed into a tree and burst into flames with both daughters in the car in violation of 6 CMC §5312 (a) (2).”
Both daughters were injured because of the incident, the information added.
