A man was arrested after police allegedly found a loaded handgun and methamphetamine inside his vehicle during an encounter in Mongmong-Toto-Maite, according to a magistrate’s complaint filed in Superior Court. Despite prosecutors’ urging to keep him detained, he was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
Police identified the defendant as John Joseph Atalig Untalan Jr., who is facing four third-degree felony charges: possession of a firearm without a firearms ID card, possession of a concealed firearm without valid identification, possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, court documents state. Guam Police Department Officer Byron Dueñas reported that Untalan was contacted on October 14 after officers noticed him sitting in a van and believed he resembled a robbery suspect.
According to the affidavit, officers said they smelled marijuana from the vehicle and, after receiving consent to search, found a black Sig Sauer P250 pistol hidden beneath the driver’s seat. Officers also reported finding a glass pipe with suspected meth residue and a baggie of crystal meth. Police said Untalan admitted he did not have a firearms permit and claimed he got the gun from a friend who owed him money.
The Attorney General’s Office argued that Untalan should remain jailed, calling him a danger to the community and citing concerns about meth-related crime. However, court records show Magistrate Judge Jonathan Quan released him Wednesday afternoon on personal recognizance, meaning no cash bail was required. The case remains under investigation as Untalan awaits further court proceedings.