Defendants Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison in NMI’s First Meth Manufacturing Case

          SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced that defendants VINCENT DAVID CABRERA, JR. a/k/a “Bong,” 40, and EUGENE BLAS REPEKI, JR., a/k/a “Uncle,” 40, were each sentenced to 180-month terms of imprisonment for Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine.

          The investigation revealed that from July 1, 2017, through February 25, 2018, Cabrera and Repeki, along with others, purchased pseudoephedrine, a precursor ingredient of methamphetamine, from local pharmacies.  The men then used the substance to make over fifty grams of pure methamphetamine through the extremely dangerous and volatile “shake and bake” (or “one pot”) method.  During sentencing on March 15, 2019, Chief U.S. District Judge Ramona V. Manglona found that both Cabrera and Repeki were leaders of the conspiracy.  She also determined that their actions had caused a significant risk to human life.

          United States Attorney Anderson stated, “The Department of Justice will not allow the CNMI to become a safe haven for the manufacture of illicit drugs.  As this case demonstrates, the production of methamphetamine is not only dangerous, but can result in a substantial term in federal prison.  I applaud the work of DEA and our local partners in combating this activity.”

          The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of task force officers from the CNMI Department of Public Safety and the CNMI Division of Customs.  The case was prosecuted by Garth R. Backe, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of the NMI.