Timothy Villagomez

Timothy P. Villagomez
Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In office
January 9, 2006 – April 24, 2009
Governor Benigno R. Fitial
Preceded by Diego Benavente
Succeeded by Eloy S. Inos
Personal details
Born September 10, 1962
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Political party Covenant Party
Spouse(s) Margaret Keene

Timothy Pangelinan Villagomez (born September 10, 1962 Saipan) was the Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands who served under current Governor Benigno R. Fitial[1] until his resignation on April 26, 2009.[2] Villagomez took office as Lieutenant Governor on January 9, 2006, after being elected as a ticket during the 2005 gubernatorial election. Villagomez, like Fitial, is a former member of the Republican Party, but is currently a member of the Covenant Party.[1]

Villagomez is a relative of former Mariana Islands Governor Pedro Tenorio and his wife, First Lady Sophia.[3]

In August 2008, Villagomez was indicted on felony charges relating to the misuse of government funds.[4] On April 24, 2009, he was found guilty along with former Commerce Secretary James A. Santos and Joaquina V. Santos relating to a scheme to defraud the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. through needless purchases of a de-scaling chemical called Rydlyme.[5] Awaiting sentencing on July 28, 2009, Villagomez tendered his resignation on April 24.[6]

Villagomez's sentencing was delayed until August 5, 2009, at which time he was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison. He was sent to the Federal Correctional Institution at Phoenix, Arizona. His brother-in-law, Santos, and his wife were sentenced to 78 months. As of September 2009, the case was being appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[7] Villagomez has since been transferred to the U.S. Penitentiary at Tucson, Arizona with a projected release date of December 17, 2015.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Lt. Governor Not Committed To Running For Re-Election, Report Says". Marianas Variety (Pacific Magazine). 2008-07-03. http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/07/03/lt-governor-not-committed-to-running-for-re-election-report-says. Retrieved 2008-07-02. 
  2. ^ Villagomez resigns, Saipan Tribune, 2009-04-27
  3. ^ de la Torre, Ferdie (2009-01-17). "Villagomez pleads not guilty". Saipan Tribune. http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=86990&cat=1. Retrieved 2009-01-17. 
  4. ^ Sebastian, Stefan (2008-08-12). "Villagomez, 3 others indicted". Saipan Tribune. http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=82452&cat=1. Retrieved 2008-08-23. 
  5. ^ http://saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=89717&cat=1
  6. ^ http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=89728
  7. ^ Ferdie de la Torre (September 19, 2009). "Tim Villagomez now in Arizona federal prison". Saipan Tribune. http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=93674&cat=1. 
  8. ^ "Inmate Locator: Timothy P. Villagomez". Federal Bureau of Prisons. http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Timothy&Middle=P&LastName=Villagomez&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0. Retrieved January 14, 2011. 

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Diego Benavente		 Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
January 9, 2006 – April 26, 2009		 Succeeded by
Eloy S. Inos
Ada · Tenorio · Manglona · Borja · Sablan · Benavente · Villagomez · Inos