Navis Frances Lefever Sablan, 30, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison Monday for orchestrating a bank fraud scheme that bled $25,645.65 from her employer, Allied Pacific Environmental Consulting (APEC), over a 10-month span in 2014. The guilty verdict, handed down by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood in the District Court of Guam, also includes three years of supervised release and a restitution order of $25,145.65, plus a $100 special assessment fee.
Sablan, once trusted as APEC’s bookkeeper, abused her position by forging the signatures of company owners and authorized personnel on 42 separate company checks drawn from accounts at First Hawaiian Bank. Posing as legitimate payroll and petty cash disbursements, the checks were funneled directly into her personal pockets. The thefts began in February 2014 and continued through December of that year, systematically draining funds from the environmental consulting firm.
The scheme unraveled when internal discrepancies triggered an audit, exposing the falsified documents and unauthorized transactions. Federal prosecutors say Sablan not only violated company policy but directly attacked the integrity of financial systems meant to protect small businesses. Each forged check was a calculated betrayal—signed in someone else’s name, cleared through a reputable bank, and spent on personal expenses with no intent to repay.
On November 17, 2015, Sablan pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Fraud, a felony under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, though sentencing guidelines and cooperation likely factored into the eight-month term. Still, the punishment sends a clear message: fraud against local businesses won’t be treated as a white-collar footnote.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who victimize and perpetrate fraud against members of our community, including businesses and financial institutions,” said Alicia A.G. Limtiaco, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marivic David. Authorities emphasized that even non-violent financial crimes erode public trust and can cripple small operations like APEC. Sablan’s federal prison term begins as a warning to others who might exploit access for profit.
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Key Facts
- State: Guam
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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