by Mindy Aguon

Guam - A corrections officer is behind bars under a high security watch after he was arrested Thursday morning, accused of possessing crystal methamphetamine. But the officer contends he was setup.

A Department of Corrections officer was arrested this morning and finds himself on the other side of the very jail cells he normally guards. 37-year-old Eric Crisostomo Tedtaotao was arrested for possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance. Tedtaotao was picked-up by Criminal Investigation Division agents from the Guam Police Department this morning while he was on-duty at the Hagatna Detention Facility.

GPD Spokesperson Officer A.J. Balajadia says Tedtaotao's arrest stems from a traffic stop that occurred Monday night, detailing, "What we had was a pullover - a stop by a patrol officer. They located a Schedule II Controlled Substance on Mr. Tedtaotao and that case was referred to our detectives, who charged him with Possession of A Schedule II."

Police have not said why an arrest was not made on Monday following the traffic stop and instead forwarded to criminal detectives. While handcuffed and escorted out of the Hagatna Precinct today, Tedtaotao made it clear he believes he shouldn't have been arrested.

"Set up. It was a set up!" he declared.

DepCor spokesperson Jeff Limo confirms an internal affairs investigation is underway into Tedtaotao's arrest. He says there are no allegations that Tedtaotao was involved in any drug activity while on the job. The arrest comes as the Department of Corrections has been conducting random sweeps for drugs and contraband at its Mangilao and Hagatna facilities, while simultaneously requiring a number of inmates and officers to undergo drug testing.

Tedtaotao has been employed with the department for seven years and is now confined at the Mangilao facility under high security watch. He is expected to be magistrated in the Superior Court of Guam on Friday.