AIMIN Zhang and Jianbing Zhao, who were charged with obstructing their deportation, entered not guilty pleas in federal court last week.
Both defendants were indicted for preventing or hampering removal under 8 U.S.C. § 1253(a)(1)(C). Zhang was also indicted for resisting a federal officer.
At the hearing on Thursday, Zhang and Zhao, through their respective court-appointed attorneys, Mark Scoggins and David Banes, waived the formal reading of the charges and informed the court that their clients were entering pleas of not guilty.
Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy of the District Court for the NMI accepted the not guilty pleas for both defendants.
The judge scheduled a jury trial for both defendants for Aug. 12 at 10 a.m.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley, the prosecutor, requested that the court issue an order of detention for both Zhang and Zhao.
Judge Kennedy scheduled a detention hearing for Zhang for June 17, and for Zhao for June 20.
Following the arraignment, both defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to the indictment against Zhang, “On or about April 30, 2025…, Defendant Aimin Zhang, an alien against whom a final order of removal was outstanding, by reason of being a member of any of the classes described in Title 8, United States Code, Section 1227(a), did take action designed to prevent and hamper, and with the purpose of preventing and hampering, his departure from the United States.”
The indictment further states that on or about April 30, 2025, Zhang “did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with persons designated in 18 U.S.C. § 1114, to wit: United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers C.S.D. and S.T.W., while such persons were engaged in the performance of official duties.”
The indictment against Zhao states that on “or about May 26, 2025…, Defendant Jianbing Zhao, an alien against whom a final order of removal was outstanding, by reason of being a member of any of the classes described in Title 8, United States Code, Section 1227(a), did take action designed to prevent and hamper, and with the purpose of preventing and hampering, his departure from the United States.”
