{{short description|American politician}}
'''Manny M. Aragon''' (born March 22, 1947) is a former New Mexico State Senator.
==Life== Manny M. Aragon was born to Charlotte and Mel Aragon.<ref name="memorial"> in 1947. {{cite web|title=A Memorial Commemorating the Fiftieth Birthday of Senator Manny M. Aragon, President Pro Tempore of the Senate|url=http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/97%20Regular/memorials/senate/SM014.PDF|publisher=43rd Legislature of the State of New Mexico|year=1997}}</ref>
==Career== Aragon served in the New Mexico Senate from 1975 to 2004 as a Democrat representing the Valencia and Bernalillo counties, District Fourteen.
Following the New Mexico State Penitentiary riot in 1980, Aragon assisted and comforted survivors.<ref name="memorial"/>
In 1988, he was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate. He remained in that position until 2001.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Feldman|first1=Dede|title=Inside the New Mexico Senate: Boots, Suits, and Citizens|date=2014|publisher=UNM Press|isbn=978-0-8263-5439-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QkGYAgAAQBAJ&dq=manny%20aragon&pg=PR5}}</ref>
In 2001, he served as the second Hispanic chairman of the Council of State Governments (CSG).
Aragon then served as president of New Mexico Highlands University.
==Later life== In 2009, as a private citizen, he was found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to defraud $4.4 million from the State of New Mexico during the construction of a new Court House.<ref>[https://archive.today/20150422205147/http://old.seattletimes.com/] | Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | Fed judge sentences former NM senator Manny Aragon to 5½ years in prison, orders fine | Former New Mexico state Senate leader Manny Aragon broke down in tears before being sentenced Tuesday to 5½ years in prison for his role in a corruption case that stained his long career of public service. | By HEATHER CLARK | Associated Press Writer | [http://old.seattletimes.com/html/politics/2008875128_aragonsentencing.html]</ref> He was released in December 2013 after serving four and a half years in prison.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Deborah|title=Manny Aragon released from federal prison|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/314997/news/manny-aragon-released-from-federal-prison.html|work=Albuquerque Journal|date=December 6, 2013}}</ref>
Aragon has two children.<ref name="memorial"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aragon, Manny}} Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:American politicians convicted of fraud Category:Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Category:Democratic Party New Mexico state senators Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in New Mexico Category:New Mexico politicians convicted of crimes Category:20th-century members of the New Mexico Legislature Category:21st-century members of the New Mexico Legislature