By Johnnie Rosario
It was 24-year-old Brittany Flores's slippers that got her caught inside her boyfriend's hotel room, when a Customs officer went to verify that COVID-19-positive patient Ryan Taijeron, 23, was abiding by the rules of the Bayview Hotel isolation facility.
Kandit previously reported a November 16, 2020 incident involving a woman, who broke into the COVID-19 isolation facility to be with her boyfriend. Today in local court, prosecutor David Rivera named the couple in a declaration of probable cause bringing misdemeanor charges against them.
Mr. Rivera is charging Taijeron with "failure to obey the rules, orders and provisions of an isolation premises," and Flores with "unauthorized entry into an isolation premises." Neither of those charges appear in the government's code for criminal offenses. The charges stem from the public health director's authority to restrict the movements of residents, especially those in active isolation or quarantine. The authority is derived from the government's health laws, codified under the Emergency Health Powers Act.
The following is the full account by Mr. Rivera of what happened the day Ms. Flores broke into the isolation facility and tried to hide in her boyfriend's hotel room:
On or about November 16, 2020, in Guam, RYAN ANTHONY TAIJERON ("defendant Taijeron") was in covid-19 isolation at the Bayview Hotel, a designated covid-19 isolation facility located in Timon, Guam, which houses more than 80 COVID-19 positive individuals. When Defendant was checking into the facility, he was read the rules pertaining to his quarantine. The miles included the following: "no visitors are allowed on the premises at all times."
On or about November 16, 2020, in Guam, within said isolation facility, defendant Taijeron was observed by Guam Customs and Quarantine officer Ian Basso walking behind an unknown female, later identified to be BRITTANY FLORES ("defendant Flores"). Defendant Taijeron told the customs officer that he was from room 416 and that he was locked out. Both defendants were instructed to return to their rooms. The Command Post was informed and it was determined that only defendant Taijeron was occupying room 416. A room check was made by two staff nurses. At room 416, defendant Taijeron stated to the nurses that there was no female in the room. One of the stay nurses, however, observed female slippers inside the door of the room and thereafter informed Guam Police Department Sgt. T. Volta that there may be a female hiding in room 416.
Sgt. Volta went to room 416 and informed defendant Taijeron that staff was aware that there was a female hiding in the room. Defendant Taijeron admitted that there was a female hiding in the room and she was ordered to come out of hiding. It was defendant Flores. She admitted that she had been dropped off at the isolation facility, that defendant Taijeron was her boyfriend, that he opened the door to allow her into the facility, and that she was about to leave when the Customs officer caught them.
Defendant Taijeron admitted that he had called his girlfriend to come to the Bayview hotel and that he opened the door for her when she arrived. He further admitted that he knew that this was a violation because he was informed of the rules when he arrived at the facility earlier that same morning.
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