Guam - A member of the Guam Election Commission's board of directors, who is also a legislative staffer, is being held behind bars on $200,000 cash bail after he was found in possession of a substantial amount of marijuana. The arrest stems from a federal search warrant that was obtained earlier this week for a package addressed to a Tamuning home.     

A Postal Express package deemed suspicious by postal inspectors earlier this week was found to contain more than 500 grams of marijuana.  According to court documents three heat sealed plastic bags were found inside the package in a plastic container covered in wrapping paper. Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency spokesperson Lieutenant Ferdinand Soriano says the current street value of a gram of marijuana is roughly $25-$30, making the discovery worth more than an estimated $14,000.

Court documents further state the package was addressed to Zaani Branch, the brother of Democratic Party of Guam's executive director, Carlo Branch. Zaani told authorities he has not lived there since May 2012.

Carlo Branch told KUAM News he returned to his Tamuning home on Thomas Street on Thursday after lunch to pick up his Passport when he found Customs officers at his home.  Branch says he gave the officers consent to search, but they had to obtain a warrant because he is not the owner of the home.

While Customs officials aren't releasing any details of the ongoing investigation, Guam Election Commission board member and legislative staffer Christopher Carillo was arrested and charged with importation of a Schedule I Controlled Substance as a 1st degree felony, possession with the intent to deliver a Schedule I Controlled Substance as a felony, and possession of more than one ounce of a Schedule I Controlled Substance as a misdemeanor. 

According to the magistrate's complaint, postal inspectors delivered the package to Branch's home on Thursday morning and conducted surveillance and watched as Carillo took the package inside the house then exited the residence and drove in a loop throughout the neighborhood and then back to the house, where he opened the package and agents approached the home.

The declaration, filed by Assistant Attorney General James Collins, states Carillo told the agents, "I know why you guys are here, because of the marijuana."  While he allegedly denied knowledge of the contents of the package, when asked why he opened it, Carillo responded, "We always do that."  During the execution of a search warrant, agents found a glass pipe, a metal grinder, packaging material, scales and a small amount of marijuana.  They also found a "substantial" amount of marijuana in a clear square plastic container and empty plastic bags containing suspected marijuana residue within and under the center console of a vehicle that belongs to Carillo's girlfriend. 

Carillo also allegedly admitted to texting a friend to come over and smoke with him.  Court documents indicated that Carillo identified him as Fernando Santos.  Santos was interviewed and said he previously purchased marijuana from Carillo, who also allegedly admitted to smoking with "a lot of other guys from Yigo" and smoking "as much as he can, up to half an ounce a week".  Zaani Branch denied knowing of packages being sent to him at the house or that packages were being opened by others on his behalf.

Carillo and Carlo Branch are both employed at Vice Speaker B.J. Cruz's Office.  Carlo Branch is the vice speaker's chief policy analyst. He did not answer calls today for comment about the incident at his home.

Meanwhile staff at the vice speaker's office say Carillo who is a research analyst was on sick leave Thursday.  Cruz is currently off-island on personal leave but told KUAM News, "The recent events involving my former staffer Chris Carillo has dismayed and disappointed me. I will be issuing a more detailed response on Tuesday after I have been fully briefed."

When asked to clarify what he meant by "former staffer", the vice speaker replied that Carillo has been terminated.

The magistrate's complaint also indicated that Carillo told Customs agents that he had purchased half an ounce of marijuana for $450 on Wednesday. 

Customs dogs also alerted to an empty parcel in a burn pile.  Court documents state the parcel was similar to the one intercepted by Customs agents and that it was also addressed to Zaani Branch.

The Attorney General's Office meanwhile notes that the amount seized during yesterday's bust is indicative of distribution, which spokesperson Carlina Charfauros says automatically results in a higher bail because distribution is considered a threat to society.

KUAM News has also learned that an old ballot box may have been seized at Carillo's house. GEC executive director Maria Pangelinan did not have any comment regarding the investigation but notes that old ballot boxes do not have to be in possession of the agency as they were surplus items. She adds they are not being used anymore and were only used prior to 2004. She says groups like the University of Guam, the Guam Community College, the Guam Youth Congress and political parties do use the old ballot boxes for their respective elections. The GEC currently has a handful of old ballot boxes in their possession.

Carillo we should note is a commissioner on the Guam Election Commission. According to the mandate, the Commission members are only removed by two-thirds vote of the legislative or the political party they represent.