A top government official is facing serious legal trouble on two fronts, thousands of miles from home.

Guam Civil Defense Administrator Charles Esteves pleaded not guilty Friday to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a reported assault inside a Washington, D.C. hotel room.

Esteves appeared virtually before a D.C. Superior Court judge, charged with simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm. The incident allegedly took place in March, in the early morning hours at the Washington Hilton.

According to court filings, Esteves’ girlfriend told police he straddled her, pulled her hair, and choked her. An encounter partially caught on hidden phone video. 

She later told detectives he threatened to kill her family.

The judge released Esteves on his own recognizance, under pretrial supervision, and issued a stay-away order. A status hearing is set for July 17.

This comes as Esteves is also facing unrelated charges here at home, one of six Guam Civil Defense employees indicted in an overtime abuse investigation. 

In that case, he has also pleaded not guilty.