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Judge delays sentencing of alleged ‘ice’ group leader
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona has granted a joint motion to delay the sentencing of Xing Bo Fang, a man tagged by authorities as the leader of a group of meth suppliers on Saipan.
In an order on Friday, Manglona rescheduled Fang’s sentencing to Feb. 6, 2015 at 9am. Fang’s sentencing was supposed to be yesterday, Dec. 2.
Manglona found good cause to postpone the sentencing based upon Fang’s and the U.S. government’s stipulated motion.
Fang is cooperating with the U.S. government and is willing to testify, if necessary, against the alleged second in command of a group of “ice” distributors on island.
David G. Banes, as counsel for Fang, and assistant U.S. attorney Ross Naughton disclosed last week that, as part of Fang’s cooperation with the U.S. government, he has agreed to testify against co-defendant Yu Hua Wang.
Wang’s trial has been taken off calendar due to the ongoing evaluation of his competency to stand trial. His evaluation is expected to take up to 60 days, said Banes and Naughton in a joint motion to move Fang’s sentencing.
Fang has signed a plea deal with the U.S. government. He pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
His sentencing was originally set for July 11, 2014.
Banes and Naughton said that until Fang either testifies at trial or Wang pleads guilty or is found incompetent, the U.S. government cannot evaluate the level of Fang’s cooperation, including an evaluation of if Fang qualifies for “substantial assistance” to the government.
According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Fang sold approximately 98.7 grams of 98.0 percent pure methamphetamine hydrochloride to a confidential source of the Drug Enforcement Administration at the instruction of Wang on Dec. 27, 2013.
