by Jolene Toves

Guam - The U.S. Attorney's Office is opposing the pre-trial release of a former Department of Corrections officer facing local and federal drug charges.

Eric Tedtatotao is scheduled to appear in the U.S. District Court of Guam Wednesday in hopes of being granted pretrial release. This is Tedtaotao's second motion for release after his first motion filed in April was denied. Tedtaotao is now seeking release to a third party custodian however according to court documents the current third party custodian has a spouse who has a prior arrest involving drugs on a plane.

In response to Tedtaotao's motion for release the U.S. Attorney Office has filed an opposition vehemently opposing claiming he is a danger to the community.

As we reported Tedtaotao who has been detained since Febuary is asking to be released to a third party custodian with conditions and electronic monitoring. He along with his wife Macrina and Bertha Moore are accused of smuggling into Guam large amounts of crystal methamphetamine from the Philippines. Macrina is already on pre-trial release while Moore entered into a plea agreement with the feds. Tedtaotao argues that his case has continuously been delayed and therefore is requesting pre-trial release. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office however believes Tedtaotao should remain in custody. According to their filings he is an admitted large scale methamphetamine dealer with a history of threatening cooperators, he allegedly sent threatening text messages to associate Bertha Moore and her boyfriend, matter of fact its alleged he aided in the fleeing of Moore to the Philippines using another person's passport. The feds also allege that Tedtaotao continued to engage in drug dealing even when he knew he was under federal investigation. Furthermore while Tedtaotao had agreed to cooperate with law enforcement agents he managed to be arrested twice within one week for drugs. Court documents also state that while on pre trial release for the two pending indictments in the Superior Court Tedtaotao tested positive for the use of drugs. Based on these allegations the U.S. Attorney's Office argues that Tedtaotao, "Is simply not to be trusted", and that if released no conditions or combinations of conditions would assure his appearance at trial or the safety of Bertha Moore and the community.

Tedtaotao is scheduled to appear before Federal Magistrate Judge Joaquin Manibusan at 9am Wednesday.

Tedtaotao as we reported has pleaded not guilty to the drug charges.