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IN BIRTH TOURISM BUSINESS CASE
US wants suspect’s continued detention
The U.S. government wants Sen Sun kept detained pending his trial.
Sun, an alleged overstaying Chinese tourist who allegedly ran an unlicensed business that offered trip packages to the CNMI for pregnant Chinese women seeking to give birth here, is a serious flight risk, according to assistant U.S. attorney Eric O’Malley.
O’Malley also indicated that there is a serious risk that Sun “will obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice, or threaten, injure or intimidate” prospective witnesses or jurors.
During Sun’s initial court appearance on Monday, O’Malley also asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI for a three-day continuance of the motion for detention. Benjamin Petersburg, the court-appointed counsel for Sun, did not object.
Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona set the detention hearing for tomorrow, Thursday, at 11:30am.
Manglona went over the financial affidavit with Sun and noted that the court may need more time to determine if he qualifies for a court-appointed lawyer.
She ordered U.S. probation officer Margarita Wonenberg to meet with Sun to complete a financial background investigation.
After the hearing, Sun was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
The indictment charged Sun with harboring illegal aliens, unlawfully employing aliens, and money laundering.
Sun, also known as Sam Sun, allegedly charged each client upwards of $15,000 for services that include providing round-the-clock caregivers who were unauthorized to work, according to the indictment.
