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Ex-CUC chief’s sentencing set next month
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Posted on May 08 2009
Former Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Anthony C. Guerrero, a key witness in the trial of former Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez, was ordered to appear in federal court next month for his sentencing.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson set the sentencing of Guerrero for June 22 at 9am.
Munson issued the order after Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley and attorney Robert T. Torres, counsel for Guerrero, agreed to ask the court to schedule the sentencing.
Guerrero was the last witness called by the prosecution in the trial of Villagomez, his sister Joaquina V. Santos, and her husband, former Commerce Secretary James A. Santos.
Villagomez, the Santos couple, and Guerrero were accused of engaging in a scheme to bilk the CNMI government out of thousands of dollars through a series of needless Rydlyme chemical purchases. They were also charged with bribery.
A jury found the three guilty of all charges. Their sentencing was set for July 28, 2009.
Guerrero entered a plea deal last Aug. 11 with the U.S. government. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, an offense that could send him to prison for up to five years or mere probation.
Guerrero’s sentencing was originally set for Feb. 27, 2009, but Munson ordered in January that Guerrero’s sentencing be taken off-calendar. Munson said the sentencing would be rescheduled.
The judge ordered the delay of the sentencing after Guerrero’s counsel and O’Malley asked to reset the sentencing hearing.
Torres and O’Malley agreed that postponing the sentencing hearing until after the end of the trial would be appropriate.
