KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.Agat men accused of conspiring to kill cop

by Nick Delgado

Guam - Three Agat men are behind bars, accused of conspiring to kill a police officer. Police believe a drug arrest several weeks ago was what led to several individuals plotting to kill an officer.  Authorities worked through the weekend to find those involved and put them behind bars while putting the officer and the department on notice.

A 17-year-old girl contacted police on Friday detailing an alleged plot to take a patrol officer "off the streets".  The female minor told police that Jeremiah Isezaki, Brandon Baluran and Michael Joaquin Torre came to her home and requested that she lure an officer to an undisclosed location where she was to stall him until the three could make sure that the officer was "off the streets". According to court documents, the girl understood that to mean they were going to kill the officer. 

Isezaki had been arrested by the police officer several weeks ago after fleeing from authorities on a motorcycle while carrying a gun and drugs.  Isezaki was just released from jail about a week ago, but it's that arrest that police believe is the reason for the plot.

GPD Spokesperson Officer A.J. Balajadia told KUAM News, "I want to make it clear that this case is a case of this officer making an arrest on one of the three gentlemen before the threat or plot was made and this is apparently retaliation for that arrest."

The teen told police she believed the three Agat men would carry out the "hit" because she overheard one of them asking for bullets and saw another carrying a black gun. Isezaki, Baluran and Torre allegedly told the girl that the officer they wanted to get off the streets was going to arrest her father and it would be in her best interest to cooperate with their request. Police investigated all three are being held on $100,000 cash bail. 

Isezaki and Baluran appeared before Judge Alberto Tolentino this afternoon. Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Vasiliades said, "The basis of that recommendation is the serious nature of those allegations and this is a plot to kill a police officer and we do believe the safety of not only the police officer, but the community is at risk should Baluran be released."

Isezaki meanwhile was on pre-trial release relative to the drug and firearm possession charges from last month's arrest. "The court advises you have the right to remain silent and anything you say even to your allege codefendants might be used against you," said the judge.

The three are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and terrorizing. The Guam Police Department meanwhile warns that such threats against anyone on the force are taken seriously and threatening or harming an officer is a 3rd degree felony. Officer Balajadia noted, "Anyone that would threaten to harm a police officer or a federal agent is alarming because if they are willing to go to that length than they are willing to do anything to anyone in this community."

The police department notified the police officer who was the focus of the threat prior to the suspects being called in, interviewed and arrested.

All three defendants remain behind bars awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for February 27.