BONIFACIO “Boni” Sagana has again asked the federal court to reschedule his jury trial.
He has pled not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce an identification document — a CNMI driver’s license.
Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI previously granted his request and continued his jury trial from Oct. 4 to Dec. 13 at 10 a.m.
Through attorney Richard Miller, Sagana is now requesting the court to continue the trial to March 14, 2023, or on a date convenient to the court.
Miller likewise requested that any period of delay resulting from this continuance be excluded under the Speedy Trial Act.
“The reason for the request is that examination of the many hundreds of pages of discovery, and the work of the defense investigator in September, made it clear that an adequate defense will require the services of a digital forensic expert,” Miller told the court.
He said it took him time to find an expert with the requisite training and experience who is available to work at reasonable rates.
“Depending on the expert’s findings, the defense may need to file additional motions,” Miller added.
According to Miller, he had discussed the request for a continuance with Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Flores, adding that the U.S. government does not object to a continuance to March 14, 2023, and an amendment to the scheduling order.
On Jan. 31, 2022, the federal court issued an arrest warrant for Sagana after he was indicted by a grand jury.
He is accused of helping individuals fraudulently obtain a CNMI driver’s license using a counterfeited U.S. immigration visa number.
On May 16, 2022, he was arrested in the state of Wisconsin and was later transported to the CNMI where he has been released on his own recognizance.
A former guest worker in the CNMI, Sagana was one of the advocates who sought improved immigration status for nonresident workers in the early and late 2000s.
Boni Sagana
