An acting director for the Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) is in hot waters after investigators found that he has been leading a child prostitution ring in Saipan.
Acting Fish and Wildlife Director Raymond Borja Roberto is being accused of meeting, approved having sex with and paying cash to have sex with minors. He is also accused of having sex with minors after an unidentified woman paid him $1, pills 000 US dollars to be in a sexually explicit video.
All of these accusations were uncovered following a lengthy investigation into a former CNMI firefighter who filmed himself having sexual intercourse with a minor child last year.
43-year old Richard Sullivan Benavente’s case led investigators to Roberto. Roberto allegedly paid and had sex with a girl Benavente is accused of raping.
On February 24, shop 2014, Benavente pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child in CNMI’s district court. According to online information, police learned about the sex video filmed by Benavente when the police department received a copy of the video showing him and a 15-year-old girl engaging in sexual acts. The same video was also reportedly found on Benavente’s cell phone. He now faces 15 to 30 years in prison.
In Roberto’s case, he faces charges of coercion and enticement of a minor and for having sex with at least three 15-year old girls on several occasions. The trial for this case has yet to begin.
In addition, a 40-year old woman is also facing several criminal charges for her connection in the case. Annette Basa is accused of selling two 15-year old girls to Benavente for sexual purposes. On February 27, 2014, Basa pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a child and could face 10 years to life in prison.
