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Masseuse ordered released from jail
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Posted on May 27 2012
The federal court has ordered the release from jail of a masseuse who has been detained for over seven months now while awaiting sentencing in an immigration document fraud case.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona on Thursday ordered the release of Lin Lin Song from the Department of Corrections.
Song’s lawyer, Stephen Woodruff, had asked the court for his client’s release pending sentencing. The U.S. government did not object to the request.
Manglona, however, set some conditions for Song’s release to ensure that she will appear for her sentencing. These include keeping her passport with federal agencies and that she shall not obtain a new one, refrain from travel outside Saipan without court’s permission, and obey all laws.
On Feb. 16, 2012, Song entered a guilty plea to count 2 of the indictment, charging her with immigration document fraud.
According to the indictment, Song lied in her application for adjustment of status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services when she indicated that she is married to Steven Romie Aguon. In fact, Song is living with a different man, the indictment states.
Last February, Aguon pleaded guilty to immigration document fraud. He is awaiting sentencing.
Woodruff said his client has now been in custody for over seven months—a period longer than the top end of the sentencing guideline range. He said the applicable sentencing guideline range is zero to six months imprisonment.
“It really would not be fair to defendant to continue to hold her in custody,” Woodruff said.
Once released, Woodruff said that Song will return to her job as a masseuse with Sterling Corp. as her employer has filed a petition for CW-1 status for her.
Woodruff noted that USCIS has scheduled Song to have her biometrics taken on May 24.
