By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

A DIVE boat operator from Saipan was sentenced yesterday to two years imprisonment and three years supervised release after admitting he conspired with others to smuggle illegal aliens into Guam.
Brett Montgomery Halstead, 40, was also sentenced by Guam District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood to participate in the 500-hour intensive drug treatment and educational programs approved by the Bureau of Prisons.
Judge Tydingco-Gatewood further ordered Halstead to obtain and maintain gainful employment, and refrain from possessing unlawful controlled substances, firearms or other dangerous weapons.
He is prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages and is to perform 200 hours of community service at the direction of the U.S. Probation Office.
Halstead was charged on Nov. 12 2006 after federal authorities arrested Jing Hua He also known as “Tanya.”
Jing Hua He was charged with two counts of alien smuggling for unlawfully transporting illegal aliens by boat twice this year.
In a plea agreement on Dec. 6, 2006, Halstead admitted that he was approached by Jing Hua He who offered to pay him $2,000 per person to smuggle Chinese nationals into Guam.
Halstead received $7,000 in advance from Jing Hua He, took his employer’s boat without permission and brought in the five illegal aliens on Oct. 28, 2006, landing them off Two Lover’s Point.
He received an additional $9,300 from Jing Hua He when he returned to Saipan.
Jing Hua He, who was arrested immediately after she was observed dropping off several groups of Chinese at the Outer Cove Marina on Saipan, was subsequently charged with two counts of alien smuggling for unlawfully transporting illegal aliens by boat twice last year.
She entered into a plea agreement in March 2006 and is now awaiting a sentencing date.