'Ringleader' in metro court case is sentenced

Posted 4/07/2009 10:44:00 PM

Former Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Administrator Toby Martinez was sentenced today to 67 months in prison.

Martinez was also ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution for being what KOB-TV described as the “ringleader” of a group that stole $4.2 million in taxpayer money by inflating and falsifying invoices during construction of the courthouse.

Martinez had previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Martinez told the court today that, in his former job, he often heard defendants blame others rather than take responsibility for their actions. He said “personal responsibility” was “always lacking.”

“I am here to take responsibility for my actions,” the Journal quoted Martinez as saying.

Earlier in the day, Martinez’s wife Sandra was sentenced to five years on probation and ordered to pay $106,000 in restitution for knowing but failing to report what her husband was doing.

Eight have been convicted in the case, including former Senate President Pro Tem Manny Aragon, who was sentenced last month to 5.5 years in federal prison, fined $750,000 and ordered to pay $649,000 in restitution.