A man who forged signatures so he could divorce his wife and marry his girlfriend was sentenced this week in Island County Superior Court.

Thomas Mayhew, 34, who is in the Navy, was charged with one count of offering false instrument for filing or record and one count of forgery, according to documents on file in Island County Superior Court.

Mayhew was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Mayhew was found guilty of forging his wife’s and a judge’s signatures on the documents in order to free himself to marry his girlfriend in Las Vegas, Nev., according to a police report on file at the courthouse.

Mayhew was charged Feb. 7 after an employee with the Island County Clerk’s Office reportedly noticed irregularities when Mayhew submitted a divorce decree and a parenting plan.

The clerk also saw discrepancies and it appeared that Mayhew had written his wife’s name in a signature field instead of the judge’s name.

Mayhew’s wife told investigators that she was shocked to learn he had tried to file divorce paperwork. She said her signature on the paperwork was, in fact, forged.

The wife told investigators she discovered a wedding invitation in her husband’s truck stating that he was planning to get married in Las Vegas that week, according to the police report.

Mayhew admitted in a statement to police that he forged the signatures of his wife and a judge. He also said he panicked and didn’t want to lose his girlfriend but believed that his wife wouldn’t agree to a divorce.