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Woman who recruited 6 Chinese to work gets six-month jail term
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Posted on Oct 02 2011
The federal court on Friday sentenced to six months in prison a woman who recruited six persons from China to come to the CNMI with promises of jobs while pretending to be tourists.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona gave Li Hua credit for the four months she has already served in jail, leaving Hua with two more months to go in prison.
Hua pleaded guilty to a count of foreign labor contracting fraud conspiracy as part of a plea bargain.
After serving her sentence, she will be turned over to immigration authorities for removal from the CNMI. If no removal or deportation proceedings is conducted, Hua will be required to report to the U.S. Probation Office.
Manglona believes that incarceration is warranted in this case to send a message about the need to comply with immigration laws and to deter others. She hopes the message will reach China and instructed Hua to inform her friends, family, and other people in China about immigration law in the CNMI.
Hua’s counsel, Bruce Berline, told the media after the hearing that they are satisfied with the sentence. Berline had recommended a sentence of time served (four months) followed by three years of supervised release contingent upon deportation from the CNMI, either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Berline in the sentencing memorandum said Hua was misinformed about job opportunities and immigration status available here on Saipan. He said there is an ongoing misinformation campaign in China about immigration here in the CNMI.
The lawyer said Hua has no prior criminal history and must return to China to care for her 3-year-old daughter and ailing elderly parents.
Hua’s co-defendant, Honglian Cheng, had also pleaded guilty to the same offense.
Hua was tagged by investigators as the one who recruited the six persons in China, while Cheng was responsible for bringing the six to Saipan.
The six persons were arrested and had all pleaded guilty to improper entry.
