Attorney General Douglas Moylan plans on prosecuting vehicle owners who abandon their vehicles stating that the abandoned vehicle problem has gotten worse since his first term as attorney general while contending that the Guam Legislature has made the process of "civilly" disposing of vehicle difficult.
During a press conference on Thursday, Moylan explained why there's been a shift toward criminal prosecution highlighting that "all the efforts of the government has done nothing really to reduce the elimination of cars that are coming in ship loads but are not leaving Guam and just sitting on CHamoru Land Trust Commission Property in village streets and so forth."
Moylan said his office will be gathering information on abandoned vehicles to include owner information and charge them with "felonies and misdemeanors."
"We are going to have a short amnesty period. Anyone that has dumped their car in any part of Guam especially the mayors are aware of these vehicles. If they come forward to the attorney general's office and identify themselves and where their vehicles are at, we will work with them without filing and taking their names before a grand jury to indict them," Moylan said noting the amnesty period's end would be announced at a later time.
Those that don't come forward he asserted they will be charged.
As part of the OAG's Repent, Reform and Respect or 3Rs effort the Guam Bomb Buster program was developed to tap into individuals in the program who are being given a second chance.
"These individuals are going to be sought out and used in order to identify the thousands of abandoned vehicles that are throughout the island and working with our mayors. Part of the 3Rs program is that one of the community service items that we've identified for purpose of working with this Guam Bomb Busters program," Moylan said.
He claimed that since taking office in 2023, despite many meetings with Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio, he is "disappointed by the fact the administration has done nothing."
"I've given them pathways in order to clear these vehicles out. We've dealt with Guam Environmental Protection Agency. We have at least three vendors that can clean these vehicles out, but nothing has been done in four years," Moylan said.
Moylan believes the threat of prosecution will help curb the number of vehicles disposed of illegally.
Article 6 of 10 Guam Code Annotated (GCA) Chapter 51, Solid Waste Management and Litter Control, provides the enforcement authority to the Attorney General.
"So, these abandoned cars clearly fall within debris refuse that would subject them to a possible felony. That's how we are going to approaching. There's also possible trespassing to government property types of issues, misdemeanor violation. We're going to throw the book at them. We've had it," Moylan said.
Moylan said he's already tried the civil approach; however, he contended that the statute is "administratively difficult for this government to handle."
"I've been trying to talk to senators on the anti-crime bill and have gotten no responses. So, this one, we are just going to go it alone and take it from what the attorney general's authority can do and with the people of Guam and our grand juries," he said.
A response from the governor's office is pending.