A former Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Cabinet member facing sexual assault charges is still in negotiations with the prosecution.
Adrian Peter Cruz was scheduled to go to trial on March 24 on charges of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and promoting prostitution as third-degree felonies and harassment as a petty misdemeanor.
However, during a hearing in the Superior Court of Guam, Cruz’s attorney, Joaquin “Jay” Arriola Jr., told Judge Vernon Perez that members of the defense team “were not prepared necessarily for trial” on March 20. Arriola also mentioned other assorted trials he needs to prepare for and asked if Cruz’s trial could be continued for two months.
Prosecutor Randall Albright said he didn’t oppose a move in the trial date before mentioning a plea agreement was sent to Arriola, who acknowledged receipt of the offer.
“We are still in negotiations with the government. We did receive that offer. … I have not formally responded to the prosecutor yet and discussed (the offer) in detail, so we’d like that opportunity still,” Arriola said.
Following discussions, Perez said he was looking at having a trial in the summer, likely in July, and scheduled a status hearing on April 16.
Allegations
Cruz’s charges stem from a complaint filed June 9, 2023, that alleged Cruz committed criminal sexual conduct and harassment on May 26, 2023, and promoted prostitution on May 31, 2023.
The indictment, which doesn’t provide much detail about Cruz’s alleged actions, states he committed criminal sexual conduct by intentionally engaging in sexual contact with a 17-year-old boy by touching his inner thigh and using force or coercion. Cruz allegedly committed harassment by threatening to strike, kick, shove or offensively touch the victim.
As for promoting prostitution, the charging document states Cruz “knowingly solicited a person to commit or engage in prostitution.”
At the time of Cruz’s arrest on June 10, 2023, he was employed with the government of Guam and had been serving as executive director of the Hagåtña Restoration and Redevelopment Authority. Adelup spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin told The Guam Daily Post that the administration received a resignation letter from Cruz dated June 6, 2023, though Adelup didn’t receive the letter until June 10, 2023.
Before Cruz was the HRRA executive director, he had served in other roles in the administration, including as a senior policy adviser at Adelup, deputy director of the Guam Department of Agriculture, chair of the I Estoriå-ta Commission and chair of the Free Association Task Force under the Commission on Decolonization.
