Army soldier Ernie Gomez today began serving a five-year mandatory prison sentence just days after Gov. Linda Lingle rejected his request that he be pardoned for terrorizing his wife with a handgun in 2004.

Even though Gomez was convicted by a jury in 2005, he had been free on bail while his appeal and pardon requests were pursued. The court's decisions to allow Gomez to defer the sentence drew heavy criticism from advocates of domestic violence victims.

Gomez's appeal was denied last year. Noting that the pardon was rejected Friday, Circuit Judge Michael Town this morning ordered the soldier into custody.

Gomez, who now lives in New York, likely will serve his time at Halawa Correctional Facility or a Mainland prison.