Ex-postal worker pleads guilty to theft of mail

A former U.S. Postal Service officer who is accused of stealing a package from the Chalan Kanoa Post Office pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday.

At a change of plea hearing, Mark Tyquiengco pleaded guilty to theft of mail.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather L. Kennedy recommended that Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona accept Tyquiengco’s guilty plea.

As before, the defendant shall remain free while awaiting his sentencing.

Charity Hodson appeared in place of Roberto T. Torres as counsel for Tyquiengco. Assistant attorney general James Benedetto represented the U.S. government.

The defendant signed a plea deal with the U.S. government. The indictment had charged him with mail theft and theft of mail by postal service employee.

The trial was supposed to commence on Tuesday, Aug. 15 but that has already been supplanted by Tyquiengco’s plea deal.

According to the indictment, Tyquiengco, then a U.S. Postal Service officer, stole a package from a person at a postal service box last March 6.