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‘Ice’ distributor gets 6-month prison term
The federal court slapped a six-month prison term on Yuan Rong Zhao, a 41-year-old man who was arrested in January by Drug Enforcement Administration agents for distributing $400 worth of methamphetamine or “ice” in San Antonio.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Senior Judge Alex R. Munson gave Zhao credit for time served and ordered that upon his release, Zhao, a Chinese national, shall be delivered to an immigration official for removal proceedings.
Attorney Michael Dotts, counsel for Zhao, recommended a sentence of time-served.
Dotts disclosed that Zhao’s girlfriend had abruptly left Zhao with their child and that Zhao was trying to support for himself and the child and that he was under a lot of stress. That stress, Dotts said, led Zhao to “ice” use until it reached the point that he also sold it to support his addiction.
When Zhao was arrested on Aug. 16, 2013, the girlfriend took custody of the child. The girlfriend then left for China with the child without communicating to Zhao.
‘Dotts said when the charges in Superior Court were dismissed, Zhao’s intention was to quickly depart the CNMI to find his daughter. Dotts said Zhao bought his airplane ticket and prepared to leave.
Dotts said Zhao, however, sold more “ice” but to a DEA’s confidential source, which led to his arrest in January 2014.
The lawyer said Zhao recognized his error and agreed to plead guilty almost immediately after being charged. Dotts said Zhao has provided all the cooperation that he could to federal law enforcement.
“Zhao hopes to be released soon so that he can return to China and reunite with his daughter,” Dotts said.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. Deputy Marshal Don Hall informed the court that U.S. immigration has already filed a removal case against Zhao.
Zhao pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, Zhao sold 0.60 grams of “ice” to a DEA confidential source on March 6, 2012, on Saipan. A DEA special agent stated in an affidavit that the deal happened outside Zhao’s house in San Antonio.
