Woman in ‘ice’ trafficking case gets 15 years

A woman who was involved in the trafficking of over 100 grams of hydrochloride methamphetamine, or “ice,” was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.

Biyu Hu, 36, a woman who uses “Brother” as her alias, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison, all suspended except for 7.5 years, by Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan.

Hu was also approached to cooperate with CNMI Drug Enforcement Task Force officers to identify others who have allegedly trafficked in illegal substances.

During her sentencing yesterday, Bogdan said that the sentence was made difficult because there were many factors to consider, including Hu’s criminal background, which was spotless up until her arrest for ice trafficking, the fact that she took responsibility for what she did, testimonies given by people closest to her about her personality, her role as the sole breadwinner for her family and her son in China, and the fact that she was allegedly coerced into the meth business by individuals who threatened her and her family in China and was allegedly a victim of human trafficking.

Hu was given credit for 21 months that she had already served, dropping her 90-month sentence to 88 months.

Hu is also eligible for parole if she decides to stay in the CNMI, she was not ordered to pay court fines, and was sentenced to 90 months of supervised probation following her release.

Hu entered the CNMI as a tourist and overstayed, working several jobs before she was allegedly forced into the methamphetamine distribution business.

During her sentencing, Hu was moved to tears when video testimonies made by her mother-in-law, aunt, and son were played before the court for her defense.

Hu’s brother from Hong Kong also flew in to support his sister and testified that she has always been a good person but she made wrong decisions in desperation to pay off family debt in China.

According to court information, Hu underwent a psychiatric exam and was diagnosed with depression and other mental disorders that could have been from the trauma she endured while she was forced to sell drugs or from other traumatic events in her life.

The CNMI Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested Hu in Dandan in May 2017 for allegedly selling and yielding 100 grams of “ice” worth between $40,000 and $50,000 during “buy-walk operations” on Saipan.