A former police official and a former member of the CNMI Board of Parole representing Rota, Mendiola was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $10 mandatory court fee.
Upon release from prison, Mendiola will be placed on six months’ supervised release, and will complete 100 hours of community work service.
Manglona said “a message needs to be sent” to the community regarding the protection of the fanihi.
Manglona said Mendiola may serve in tandem with the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife in reaching out to the young and old regarding the importance of such rare species.
Currently out on post-trial release, Mendiola was ordered to call the U.S. Marshals Service office every Friday, while waiting for the designation of a correctional facility by the U.S. Bureau of Prison.
Mendiola is likely to serve his prison term on Saipan, the U.S. Attorney’s Office upon consultation with the U.S. Marshals Service, told the court.
The U.S. government asked for six months imprisonment.
“We are very pleased with the sentence imposed by the court. We hope for positive steps for the community, as this is an unfortunate day for the defendant,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Schuler, who prosecuted the case, told Variety.
Court-appointed defense attorney Ramon Quichocho recommended probation or supervised release for one to three years.
“Mr. Mendiola and I thank God, families, and friends for the moral support. In addition, we thank Chief Judge Manglona, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Schuler, U.S. Probation Officer Margarita Wonenberg, and court staff, for the professionalism throughout this process,” Quichocho said in an email to Variety.
Last May, federal jurors convicted Mendiola of unlawful possession of threatened wildlife, but the 12 jurors exonerated Mendiola of the charge of unlawful receipt or acquisition of threatened wildlife.
The federal court granted the prosecution’s motion to dismiss without prejudice the charges against David Santos, a Division of Fish and Wildlife staffer, and Albert Taitano, a Rota customs officer.
Armed with a search warrant, federal agents seized fruit bats from the freezer at Mendiola’s Rota residence on Dec. 19, 2008.
The prosecution said they will retest pieces of evidence and proceed with the recharging and prosecution of the two other defendants.
The prosecution said Mendiola, Taitano and Santos poached a breeding colony of bats using shotguns.
