Pilot, crewmen get 21-33 months in federal prison By MAR-VIC CAGURANGAN

A boat captain and two crewmen, who have pled guilty to alien smuggling charges, were sentenced yesterday to federal prison terms ranging from 21 months to 33 months.

Mo Quing Wang, Xiao Jin Dian, and Xiao Guo Ming were the first defendants to be sentenced by the US District Court of Saipan in connection with attempts to unload undocumented aliens into Guam.

Through separate plea agreements with the US Attorney’s Office, the three admitted they took active roles in an attempt to smuggle undocumented Chinese aliens on board the vessel, Zhe Yung Yu 7008, which carried 152 passengers.

The vessel, which sailed away from Fujian province, was interdicted by the US Coast Guard last April 23. At least 35 passengers of this boat were screened for potential asylum and sent to the United States for further processing.

Each of the three defendants was charged with conspiracy to commit offense against the United States, alien smuggling for financial gain, and attempted alien smuggling at a place other than at a designated port.

These crimes carry a minimum of 10 years in prison, but by entering into plea agreements, the defendants received less severe punishments.

Under separate bargaining agreements, all the three pled guilty to the third offense. The US Attorney’s Office, in exchange for the guilty plea, agreed to drop two other charges.

Federal Judge Alex Munson sentenced the boat pilot, Mo Qing, to 33 months in jail; Xiao Guo Ming, the assistant engineer, received a prison term of 27 months; and Xiao Jin, 21 months.

According to the prosecutor, Xiao Jin “aided and abetted this operations by acting as cook for the crew and passengers.”

Munson ordered that the defendants be remanded to immigration officials and deported immediately upon completion of federal prison terms.

Assistant US Atty. Gregory Baka said two more defendants from the same boat are scheduled to be sentenced today.

The US government had filed alien smuggling charges against a total of 28 defendants from five different boats indicted by the US Coast Guard on separate occasions from April 15 to May 30 of this year.

Last week, a federal jury convicted two and acquitted four of the six defendants from a fishing vessel that ferried 51 passengers.