Judge rejects Jason Wagner plea deal

Before prosecutor Jason Lidyard could finish reading the terms of the Jason Wagner plea deal agreed upon by defense attorney John Day and the prosecution, District Judge Ellington rejected all terms. The plea called for Wagner to resign from the Santa Fe Police Department, and reduce his three felony counts of time fraud to one misdemeanor of attempting to commit a crime of receive public money of services not rendered.

“I don’t think either side would have entered into this if they didn’t think it was in the best interest of justice,” defense attorney John Day said.

Judge Ellington called for a recess and asked the defense and prosecution to agree upon restitution. Within 15 minutes the defense and prosecution were back in court with a figure of $592.19 in fines. Due to the lack of time to hear restitution arguments, Judge Ellington rescheduled the hearing for Monday, November 30th.

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