A Guam man with an active arrest warrant was taken into custody last week after police discovered a glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue during a traffic stop in Barrigada, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Superior Court. Assistant Attorney General Christine Santos Tenorio said officers pulled over a black Mazda 3 at about 2:10 a.m. Nov. 21 after noticing an illegal blue license plate lamp.
Police identified the driver as John Peter Babauta Jr., who was accompanied by a 16-year-old girl he initially claimed was his niece. Officers later determined the two had no relation. Babauta was unable to provide a driver’s license, registration or insurance and was found to have an outstanding warrant.
After Babauta denied having drugs or weapons, he gave officers permission to search the vehicle, the affidavit states. Under the passenger seat, officers located a 7-inch glass pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue. A field test returned a presumptive positive result, and Babauta admitted the pipe belonged to him.
Court records show Babauta previously pleaded guilty to felony theft and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in a separate case but absconded before sentencing. Prosecutors have now charged him with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, a third-degree felony.