By Jacob Nakamura
Joshua Keith Terlaje, 36, was arrested by Department of Agriculture conservation officers Friday night on a host of illegal firearm and hunting felonies and violations, confirmed director of agriculture Chelsa Muna.
Mr. Terlaje is the son of Sen. Jose "Pedo" Terlaje, who is the oversight chairman of public safety. His brother is Joey Terlaje, the retired local court deputy Marshal implicated by FBI Special Agent Rafael Fernandez in federal court as part of a corruption investigation. Almost all of Joey Terlaje's adult children are members of law enforcement agencies, including his son, who is a conservation officer reservist.
Joshua Keith Terlaje was booked and released, not confined, even though he was arrested for multiple felonies, and is a convicted felon who is alleged to have been in possession of a firearm.
People convicted of felonies in either local or federal court are forbidden from ever possessing a firearm. The federal government may claim jurisdiction in Joshua Terlaje's latest arrest because of the involvement of guns.
Joshua Terlaje has a long rap sheet involving violent crimes, and has constantly harassed his father's and brother's detractors on social media under the alias Jonas Perez.
In May 2013 he was arrested for family violence, aggravated assault, and terrorizing.
In August 2016 he was arrested for burglary and theft charges for burglarizing a Yona home.
In January 2018 he was arrested during a raid in Inarajan on suspicion of possession of a firearm without valid identification, possession of an unregistered firearm, child abuse and convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Sgt. Paul Tapao said that because GPD officers were not involved in the arrest, he cannot comment as to why Joshua Terlaje was released back into the community and not confined after his booking.
"We normally don't book and confine, as long as they have ID on them, and as long as they don't have an active felony warrant," Ms. Muna said after consulting with the supervisor on duty for the conservation officers.
