April 23, 2015

Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Methamphetamine to Prison Inmate

ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that EUGENE JESUS MENO SUNEGA, age 33, of Sinajana, Guam pled guilty on April 23, 2015, in the U.S. District Court, before Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, to one count of Providing Contraband in Prison. SUNEGA was charged on March 4, 2015 by a federal grand jury in a four-count indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Providing Contraband in Prison, and False Statement or Representation. Sentencing for SUNEGA is scheduled for July 27, 2015. The offense of Providing Contraband in Prison carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

According to court documents, SUNEGA abused his position of trust as a Guam Department of Corrections Officer by attempting to smuggle contraband methamphetamine to prison inmate Gregorio Cruz. The methamphetamine weighed approximately 3.9 grams and was approximately 95.3% pure, according to forensic analysis. SUNEGA also lied to federal agents investigating the incident when he claimed to have never personally smoked methamphetamine.

This incident was discovered by Guam Department of Corrections officials. The federal case is the result of an investigation conducted by the DEA Guam Resident Office and the FBI Guam Resident Agency. Credit is also given to GPD’s Special Investigation Section and to the ATF. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib.