Palacios named witness in forgery case vs. parole chief | Local News

Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has been named as one of the prosecution’s witnesses in the case against chief parole officer Nick Masga Reyes, who has been ensnared in a forgery case in Superior Court.

Last Wednesday, assistant attorney general James Kingman filed his witness list in the forgery case against Reyes in preparation for the upcoming trial, which is set for April 22.

According to Kingman’s official witness list, Palacios will be the first witness among four others who are also expected to testify: Chris Guerrero, Lucinda Selepeo, investigator Ikluk Masayos, and assistant attorney general Rebecca Wiggins.

Kingman noted in his witness list that the prosecution may or may not call all of the named witnesses and reserves the right to amend the list to add any other person who possesses knowledge of the case.

Meanwhile, Reyes’ counsel filed a motion last Wednesday asking the court to vacate the jury trial set for April 22 and to instead set a bench trial for the same date.

A bench trial essentially gives the judge presiding over the trial the discretion to issue a verdict instead of a jury composed of members of the community.

“Defendant is waiving his right to a jury trial and requesting this [court] to set this matter for a bench trial on April 22, 2024,” the motion states.

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho has set a hearing for the motion next week, March 20.

Kingman filed last month two separate cases against Reyes: one count of misconduct in public office and four counts of forgery.

Reyes apparently forged and altered, on or about Dec. 20, 2023, the terms of employment of a person from 30 days to one year. This offense is punishable by punishment of not more than five years.

Also, Reyes and co-defendant Chuilian Fu are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, one count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and two counts of theft by deception in relation to the authorization of funds for the construction of a patio.

In this case, Reyes and Fu apparently agreed last Oct. 4, 2022, to build a patio at the Parole Office that was to be built by a tailoring company owned by Fu, F&S Corp., in the amount of $9,997.80. In reality though, the courtyard was apparently built using unpaid labor performed by parolees under the direction of Reyes.