He got his marriage license and he and his new bride got hitched. But instead of celebrating his life as a newlywed, the groom may be headed to jail. It turns out he was still married to another woman, prosecutors said.
Anthony Richardson, 40, of Las Cruces, NM, was indicted last week by a Dona Ana County Grand Jury on one count of bigamy.
The district attorney's office said Richardson had married his first wife and had children, but the couple separated. Richardson told police he assumed his first wife had taken care of everything with the divorce.
Deputy District Attorney Amy Orlando said Ricahrdson never confirmed that he was divorced, instead obtained a marriage license and married wife number 2 on June 3. The second marriage is not considered legal.
Court records show that the first wife has since filed for divorce in Nov. 2008. That case is still pending.
The groom was not arrested, but the district attorney's office is asking for his arrest and that his bond be set at $15,000.
Bigamy is a fourth-degree felony that carries a possible 18-month jail sentence.
By Renee Ruelas-Venegas of Las Cruces Sun News
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