Late Thursday afternoon Port Authority General Manager Rory Respicio laying the cards on the table issuing a press release confirming several of his Port Police officers "are allegedly involved in an illegal gambling matter that currently is the subject of an FBI investigation. We are conducting our own administrative review and because this involves a personnel matter we are unable to comment further at this time."

The announcement from the Port Authority follows confirmation from the airport authority in February that there is an ongoing investigation into official misconduct of airport employees. That investigation involves allegations of online and on-duty gambling. Guam International Airport Authority Airport Executive Manager John Quinata confirmed one was fired. Through documents obtained from the Civil Service Commission that individual is Airport Police Officer Jericho Santos who is appealing his termination. According to CSC documents he admitted that he was involved with online gambling on the job and recruited almost 250 other people to include other airport officers, Guam firefighters, National Guard Members, superior court marshals and Guam Police Department officers. Santos admitted he and his group made an estimated $120,000 or more in cash collectively, and that he would receive $5,000 to $7,000. The CSC documents also indicated that Santos was introduced to the Poker Bro's app by Guam Police officer Jesse San Nicolas.

Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio would not confirm San Nicolas was in fact under investigation but did confirm he was informed of an ongoing investigation which prompted him to conduct an administrative investigation involving a single police officer.


"I can confirm that the investigation that I opened was not in any way shape or form related to what played out in the airport case," Ignacio said.

KUAM asked if the chief to confirm if the investigation is related to online gambling.

"No at this point, like I said I'm still waiting for things to play out unfortunately I've been waiting for things to play out with the criminal investigation," he said. 

The tip about online and on-duty gambling at GIAA was first made to Senator Joanne Brown who then forwarded the information to airport oversight chair Sen. Amanda Shelton. The lawmaker told KUAM that because this is an ongoing matter, the Committee along with the rest of the public will continue to let the designated authorities do their work unimpeded.