By Troy Torres
(Writer's note: The identity of the woman in this story, who alleges Frank San Nicolas raped her, has been replaced with an alias: Jennifer)
A woman contacted Kandit News after reading the story we broke about the allegations four women made against port police officer Frank San Nicolas, whom they accuse of raping them. 'Jennifer' said he raped her, too, and that six or seven other women who have yet to come forward have made a similar claim.
Jennifer has been in contact with one of the original four women, 'Elizabeth,' who filed criminal complaints against Mr. San Nicolas. Elizabeth has reached out to others who, for years they say, have dealt alone with the trauma of the rape and the fear of reprisal if they spoke up.
Jennifer has found solace in her talks with Elizabeth since the Guam Police Department refused to take her complaint against Mr. San Nicolas on June 8.
On that day, Jennifer told a police officer that Frank San Nicolas raped her in June 2016. She told Kandit News how she met Mr. San Nicolas in 2016, and how she sought his help as a suruhanu, or traditional healer.
Over the following days, he developed a trust with Jennifer through the healing arts, she said. Like complaints brought on by other women, Jennifer says Mr. San Nicolas lured her to ancient Hila'an village, which is a hike from Tanguissen Beach. He claimed to be performing an ancient ritual on her and began spreading a tonic over her body and her face.
"Everything became white, and I fell into a what felt like a trance," she said. "When I came to, I looked up at this old man and he was penetrating me."
Jennifer said after he raped her, he threatened to harm her and her family if she told anyone.
Following Kandit's May 29 breaking news regarding the first allegations publicly made against Mr. San Nicolas for rape, Jennifer said she felt a bit of relief that criminal justice finally was working, and that perhaps Mr. San Nicolas would not be free to rape other women. She had no idea there were others.
On June 3, Kandit broke the story of Mr. San Nicolas's arrest. She felt even safer, knowing he was in jail. That was when she decided to go to the police and the attorney general's office to tell her story.
He has since been released pending trial on rape charges brought on by the complaints of other women; but, now, Jennifer no longer feels safe from the alleged threats Mr. San Nicolas made against her and her family.
Kandit has asked Sgt. Paul Tapao, GPD spokesman, why his agency did not take Jennifer's complaint.
According to Jennifer, the police officer whom she contacted on June 8 told her the statute of limitations for a rape charge against Mr. San Nicolas had expired. However, Mr. San Nicolas was a seaport police officer when the rape allegedly occurred, and remains a police officer to this day. Which means Mr. San Nicolas still can be charged with official misconduct - a criminal misdemeanor.
Jennifer also told Kandit that she offered to be a witness for the other women; to testify that Mr. San Nicolas had raped her in order to help strengthen the prosecution's case on the existing charges against him.
"Victims in separate incidents are not necessarily allowed to be witnesses in each others's cases," Ms. Charfauros told Kandit. "That's something we have to go to court for."
Speaking generally, Ms. Charfauros said that if rape victims wish to come forward, or to offer information that may be useful to prosecutors, then they welcome that.
"If they want it on the record, then we will take that report," Ms. Charfauros said. "There is no way we will turn them away. But there's a process. They need to go to GPD and file a complaint."
Jennifer did attempt to do that on June 8, when she was turned away. Ms. Charfauros said that is a matter for GPD to answer.
Sgt. Tapao has not returned our messages for comment as of the publication of this story.
