People v. Marasigan

Superior Court of Guam·Decided May 16, 2025·No. CF0524-19·Unknown

Opinion

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COURT OF OF GUAM GUAM 6 ) CRIMINAL CRIMINAL CASE no. NO.CF0524-19 CF0524-19 7 OF GUAM, GUAM, ) GPD GPO Report Report No. 19-27223/19-27265/19-27693 ) 8 vs. )) )) 9 ) . DECISION DECISION & ORDER 10 MARQUFZ MARASIGAN, ) RE. MOTION MOTION TO DETERMINE )) SENTENCING RANGE FOR DOB: DOB:02/19/1977 02/19/1977 VIOLATIONS OF VIOLATIONS OF99GCA GCA§ §67,401.1 67.401.1 11 11 ) ) 12 Defendant. Defendant. )) 13 ) 13

14 14 This matter came came before before the the Honorable Honorable Alberto Alberto E. Tolentino Tolentinoon onFebruary February 18, 18, 2025, 2025, for a \

15 15 motion motion hearing. Defendant Brian Marquez hearing. Defendant Marquez Marasigan Marasigan ("Defendant") ("Defendant") was was present present with with counsel counsel 16 Attorney Yusuke Udagawa-Hoffeman. Assistant Attorney Udagawa-Hoffeman. Assistant Attorney General General Emily Rees was was present present for 17 17

18 18 the People of Guam Guam ("People"). The Defendant Defendant previously previously filed aa Motion to to Determine Determine

19 19 Sentencing Rangefor Sentencing Range forviolations violationsof of99 GCA GCA §§ 67.401.1 on December December 11, 11, 2024. Following the the 20 20 hearing, the the court court took took the the matter matter under under advisement advisement pursuant to Supreme pursuant to Supreme Court Court of Guam Guam 21 Administrative Rule 06-001, Administrative Rule 06-001,CVR CVR7.l(e)(6)(A) 7.l(e)(6)(A) and and CR CR 1.1 1.1 of ofthe the Local Local Rules Rules of ofthe the Superior Superior 22 22 Court of ofGuam. Guam. Having duly duly considered considered the parties' briefings, briefings,oral oralarguments, arguments, and and the applicable 23

24 law, the court now issues this Decision Decision and and Order addressing the the appropriate appropriate sentencing sentencing range range for for

25 violations of violations off9GCA GCA§§67.401.1. 67.401.1. 26 \\ 27 27 \\ 28

Decision Decision&&Order OrderRe. Re. Motion Motionto toDetermine Determine Sentencing Range for Sentencing Range forViolations Violations of9 of 9 GCA GCA §67.401.1 § 67.401.1 People v. Marasigan, Marasigan, CF0524-19 Page Page 1I of9 BACKGROUND 1

2 On On October 3, 2019, the Defendant 2019, the wascharged Defendantwas viaIndictment chargedvia with:(1) Indictmentwith: (1) POSSESSION POSSESSION

II CONTROLLED INTENTTO WITH INTENT SUBSTANCE WITH DELIVER(As TODELIVER Firs~ ,. (AsaaFirst 4 Degree Felony); and Degree Felony); CONSPIRACY TO (2) CONSPIRACY and (2) POSSESSION OF TO POSSESSION SCHEDULE II OF A SCHEDULE 5 CONTROLLED CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE SUBSTANCEWITH INTENTTO WITHINTENT DELIVER TODELIVER (As (As DegreeFelony). a FirstDegree a First See Felony). See 6

Indictment (Oct. (Oct. 3, 3, 2019). 2019). DUe Due to several several bench warrants, withdrawals of counsel, and prolonged bench warrants, prolonged 7

s8 plea plea negotiations, the Defendant did not proceed Defendant did to trial proceed to this case trial on this until October 7, 2024. case until

9 9 Jury selection and Jury selection andtrial trial commenced andcontinued 2024,and 7,2024, October 7, onOctober commencedon untilOctober continueduntil October11, ll, 10 10 2024. After the People After the rested its People rested October 10, its case on October 2024, the Defendant made 10, 2024, motion for made aa motion for 11 11 judgment of judgment acquittal as of acquittal both charges to both as to against him. charges against Ultimately, the him. Ultimately, court granted the court the granted the 12 12

13 13 Defendant's thesecond acquittalasastotothe Defendant's acquittal chargeofofCONSPIRACY secondcharge TO POSSESSION CONSPIR.ACYTO OF A POSSESSION OF

14 14 SCHEDULE 11CONTROLLED SCHEDULE II CONTROLLEDSUBSTANCE SUBSTANCEWITH DELIVER (As INTENT TO DELIVER WITH INTENT First (As aa First

15 :42:07 -47:0SPM 2024, 11, 2024, October 11, On October 2024). On 10, 2024). (Oct. 10, 15 . Degree SeeJury Felony).See DegreeFelony). Mins. at 1:42:07 TrialMims. Jury Trial - 47:05PM (Oct. 16 16 a jury of twelve jury of found the twelve found Defendantguilty theDefendant the guiltyasastoto charge the of of charge OFAASCHEDULE POSSESSIONOF POSSESSION SCHEDULE 17 17 CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE INTENTTO WITH]NTENT SUBSTANCE WITH DELIVER TODELWER FirstDegree (Asa aFirst (As Felony). Degree Felony). 18

19 19 Prior Prior to to the the sentencing sentencing hearing for January scheduled for hearing scheduled 23, 2025, January 23, the Defendant 2025, the filed aa Defendant filed

20 20 Motion to Determine Sentencing Range for violations Determine Sentencing GCA §§ 67.401.1 ('("Motion") violations of 99 GCA 'Motion' ') on

21 . December December 11, 11, 2024;See 2024. See generally generally Mot. Sentencing Range (Dec. 11, Mot. Sentencing 11, 2024). However, the People 22 22 filed filed its Response to the Defendant's Motion its Response onJanuary ("Response")on Motion ("Response") day of the January 23, 2025; the day 23 23 Defendant's sentencing. See generally Ppl.'s Response (Jan. 23, 2025). Defendant's sentencing. As aa result, the court 2025). As 24 24

25 25 granted the the Defendant's Defendant's oral for leave requestfor oral request court to file a Reply to the People's leave of court Response. People's Response.

26 26 See Sentencing Hr'g Mins. Sentencing Hr'g Mins. at at 2:10:21 2:10:21 -- 13:31PM scheduled aa then scheduled courtthen Thecourt 2025). The 23, 2025). (Jan. 23, 13:31PM(Jan. 27 27

28 28

Decision Decision &&Order Order Re. Re. Motion MotiontotoDetermine DetermineSentencing Sentencing Range Range for Violations Violations of of99 GCA GCA§67.401 .'1 § 67.401.1 v. Marasigan, People v. CF0524-19 Marasigan, CF0524-19 Page of9 Page 2 of motion motion hearing hearing for for February Id. The Defendant 18, 2025, at 2:00PM. Id. February 18, subsequently filed his Reply Defendant subsequently 1

2 2 on January 2025.. See 30, 2025 January 30, Reply (Jan. 30, 2025). See Reply

3 At At the the motion motionhearing, hearing, the the Defendant besentenced pursuant argued that he should be Defendant argued toTitle pursuantto Title 4 4 u : 99 GCA GCA §§ 67.401.4(e), which calls 67.401.4(e), which for aa sentence calls for sentence of no more than than five five (5) (5) years. See Mot. years. See Mot. Hr'g Hr'g 5 Mims. at 2:08:21 Mins. at 2:08:21 ----45:47PM 45:47PM(Feb. (Feb. 18, 18,2025). 2025). In In response, response,the thePeople statedthat People stated GCA §§ that99GCA 6

7 67.40l.4(a) 67.401.4(a) is the more appropriate sentencing subsection, which calls for no less than twenty more appropriate

8 (20) years. Id. Id. After After hearing parties' argument on the Motion, the court took the matter under the parties' hearing the

99 advisement. 10 10 DISCUSSION 11 11 A. A. This ThisDecision Decision & &Order Orderapplies applies to to violations violations of of 9 GCA §67.401.1 § 67.401.1 before the Guam before the Guam 12 12 Legislature Legislature amended amended 99 GCA GCA §67.401.4 § 67.401.4 through through P.L. 37-113. 37-113. 13 13 Before Before determining determiningthe theappropriate appropriatesentencing sentencingrange rangeininthis thiscase caseunder under99GCA GCA§§67.401 67.401.4, 14 the court must address this statute's address this recent amendment statute's recent on July amendment on 2024. On July 22, 2024. this date, On this the Guam date, the Guam 15 15

16 16 Legislature and the passed and Legislature passed law P.L. the Governor signed into law 37-113, which added P.L. 37-113, sentencing added sentencing

17 17 guidelines guidelines "based on purity and weight "based on of controlled weight of and controlled substances (fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and 18 v.

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