Christopher Leon Guerrero
AS Chief of Parole Nick Masga Reyes is on administrative leave because of the pending case against him, CNMI Parole Board Chairman Christopher Leon Guerrero said they are looking for an acting chief of parole.
“Technically, he is still the chief of parole as we speak. The reason why we put him on administrative leave at this point [is] we are waiting for the conclusion of his case,” Leon Guerrero said.
“We are [looking] right now for an acting chief of parole for the duration of his leave as we wait for the conclusion of his case,” he added.
According to Leon Guerrero, he is coordinating with other law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Public Safety, “to identify one veteran officer who can step in as acting chief of parole.”
He said it would be “ideal if we can have an interim acting chief of parole from another agency temporarily.
As for funding the position, Leon Guerrero said, “It will depend on how we proceed with filling the temporary position. The officer in the acting position will probably get the same salary from his original position from the same agency.”
He added, “We have a couple of candidates already and I am having final meetings with the agencies. … What is important now is for an acting chief to run the operations.”
Following a four-day bench trial, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho on Thursday, April 25, found Reyes not guilty of four counts of forgery and one count of misconduct in public office.
Reyes was accused of forging a request for personnel action by changing the term of employment from 30 days to one year.
Citing a lack of evidence, the judge acquitted Reyes, who was represented by attorneys Joaquin Torres and Matthew Holley.
In a separate case, the Office of the Attorney General charged Reyes and Chuilian Fu, owner of F&S Corporation, with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and one count of theft by deception.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
According to the information filed by the OAG in Superior Court, on or about Oct. 4, 2022, on Saipan, “Nick Masga Reyes agreed with … Chuilian Fu, that one or both would engage in or solicit theft of property by deception, to wit, the construction of a patio at the Parole Office purported to be constructed by a tailoring company owned by Chuilian Fu’s F&S Corporation, in the amount of $9,997.80, but actually constructed by uncompensated labor performed by parolees under the direction of Nick Masga Reyes, made punishable by 6 CMC §1603.”
Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio, who is presiding over the case, has scheduled a jury trial for June 3, 2024, at 9 a.m.
