‘Ice’ supplier gets 41-month prison term

Xing Bo Fang, one of the alleged leaders of a group of methamphetamine or “ice” suppliers on Saipan, was slapped yesterday in federal court with three years and five months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of “ice.”

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona gave Fang credit for time served.

Manglona said after serving the prison term, the defendant will be placed on supervised release for five years.

During the supervised release, Fang will be immediately turned over to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. He was ordered to perform 50 hours of community work service.

Fang was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,700 to the U.S. Department of Justice and $100 in court costs.

Manglona forfeited to the U.S. government all of defendant’s right, title, and interest to $8,500 representing the sum equal to the proceeds derived from the offense.

Manglona said the crime that Fang pleaded guilty to involved methamphetamine, dangerous drugs that caused havoc on the island that even some minors get addicted to it.

The judge said Fang gained financial benefit for his action to the detriment of other individuals.

Manglona noted that after he was charged, Fang changed his way, immediately pleaded guilty, and cooperated with the U.S. government and investigators.

Manglona said unlike Fang’s co-defendant Yu Hua Wang, she sees remorse not only in Fang’s words but also in his conduct.

The judge said there is a big difference between Fang’s case and Wang’s.

Manglona said according to the pre-sentence investigation report, Fang has a poker addiction.

Manglona said it’s maybe the reason why Fang joined in Wang’s ring of “ice” suppliers.

“That’s something that you must overcome,” the judge said.

Manglona also noted that Fang has no prior criminal history and took responsibility for his traffic infractions.

Before the judge announced the sentence, Fang, with the assistance of an interpreter, apologized to the court for dealing with drugs.

Fang said he knows what he did was wrong.

Assistant U.S. attorney Garth Backe, counsel for the U.S. government, and defense attorney David Banes, both recommended a sentence of 41 months imprisonment or three years and five months.

Backe said Fang immediately signed a plea agreement and cooperated with the U.S. government.

Backe said Fang tried to provide substantial assistance to investigators.

Banes said Fang, who has no criminal history, cooperated with investigators and showed his remorse.

Banes said Fang, who used to be a garment worker, came from a poor background.

According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Fang sold about 98.7 grams of 98.0 percent pure methamphetamine hydrochloride to a confidential source of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Dec. 27, 2013, at the instruction of Fang’s co-defendant, Yu Hua Wang. Fang himself personally handed it over to the DEA confidential source.

While the confidential source did not give any money to Fang or Wang on that day, the source later gave Wang $8,500 in U.S. government “buy money.”

On Nov. 18, 2013, Fang sold 14.6 grams or 98.5 percent pure methamphetamine hydrochloride to the same DEA confidential source for $2,700.

Fang and Wang were among seven persons arrested in February 2014 by a joint local and federal law enforcement team for alleged distribution of “ice.”

Last May 12, Manglona slapped Wang with a sentence of 11 years and three months imprisonment for pleading guilty to the same offense.