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Overstaying tourist subject to deportation
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Posted on Jul 09 2019
An overstaying tourist who was caught operating an illegal taxi service with a fake CNMI driver’s license has been subject to deportation and sentenced to serve one-year probation if Immigration Services decides against deportation.
Chunxiao Chen was ordered by District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona to surrender to federal authorities for deportation following her sentencing hearing last Monday.
Manglona said, however, if Chen is not placed under immediate deportation, she must report to the U.S. Probation Office for supervision and to serve her sentence of one-year probation.
Chen was also ordered to pay a $500 fine.
Manglona exonerated the $2,500 the cash bail Chen posted for her release and will automatically deduct from the amount the $500 fine and $100 special assessment fee.
Chen was represented by court-appointed attorney Steven Pixley who recommended her sentence of one-year probation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Backe, also recommended a sentence of one-year probation noting Chen’s cooperation in uncovering others who have also been acquiring fake driver’s licenses.
During the sentencing, Chen, through her interpreter Mike Yang, expressed remorse for her crime and asked the court and all the people present in the court to forgive her. She said she made a mistake because she needed money and did not completely understand the law.
Chen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce an identification document.
According to Chen’s plea agreement, Chen gave $300 to another individual for a fake CNMI driver’s license and sent that person a copy of her old driver’s license through Weixin, a Chinese messenger service. A day later, Chen received the fake license from the individual in Chalan Kanoa.
