Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman also sentenced Taisakan, 43, to six months incarceration, again all suspended, for the crime of possession or removal of government property.
Taisakan who was found guilty by a jury in March, faced a maximum sentence of five years and or up to $5,000 fine.
Assistant Attorney General Brian Gallagher recommended a sentence of five years all suspended, except for two years to serve.
Chief Public Defender Adam Hardwicke, who represented Taisakan, recommended no jail time.
The Adult Probation Office recommended a five-year sentence all suspended except 30 days to serve on top of other conditions.
Taisakan maintained his innocence but told the court he was not being disrespectful of the jury and its decision. “I was guilty of negligence,” he said.
Taisakan said his life went “upside down” after his arrest, as he lost his $16,000 annual salary, and faced a “prospect of nightmare in jail.”
“[Tuesday] night, was the worst night,” Taisakan said, adding he was not able to sleep on the eve of his sentencing.
The court does not consider Taisakan a danger to society, but the prosecution said the former firefighter “breached the public trust.”
Wiseman, however, said Taisakan is not an elected or appointed official who took an oath of office to uphold the public trust.
“He was only an employee,” Wiseman added.
The theft of a government property, in this case, a 15-horsepower government outboard engine, if committed by an elected or appointed official “would indeed rise to the level of breach of the public trust,” and deemed by the court as an “egregious act warranting a severe sentence,” the judge said.
Taisakan will not be employed by or enter into a contract with the CNMI government for the duration of his probation period. He is required to write 50-word letter of apology to the commonwealth within 30 days and will perform 200 hours of community work service.
He will pay restitution for any damage to the engine in an amount to be determined by the court; a $500 fine; a $100 assessment fee; and probation fee to be determined by the Adult Probation Office. He must obey all CNMI and federal laws.
