State v. Begay

OPINION

GARCIA, Judge.

{1} A criminal sentencing statute requires magistrate, metropolitan, and district courts to place a convicted defendant on probation whenever those courts defer or suspend that defendant’s sentence of imprisonment. See NMSA 1978, § 31-20-5 (1985, amended 2003). Once the period of the defendant’s suspended sentence expires, that defendant is generally “relieved of any obligations imposed on him . . . and has satisfied his criminal liability for the crime.” NMSA 1978, § 31-20-8 (1963, amended 1977). The Probation and Parole Act contains an exception to this rule. See NMSA…