On late Friday afternoon, visiting Judge David O. Carter of the Central District of California announced his ruling after hearing several hours of oral arguments between Huang’s court-appointed defense attorney George Anthony Long, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Benedetto, the prosecutor.
Last March, Huang admitted to conspiracy to distribute “ice” and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Huang’s co-defendants Lian Sheng, Chun Mei Lin, and Yi Bin Huang have already admitted their guilt and have been separately sentenced by the federal court.
Lian Sheng is currently serving his 135-month jail term imposed by then-Chief Judge Alex Munson at the Federal Correctional Institution in Bastrop, Texas, which houses low-security male inmates.
Lian Sheng is expected to be released on June 2, 2019.
Chun Mei Lin got 20 months in prison while Ya Bin Huang received 36 months.
The court credited the time they already served at the local Department of Corrections facility. Upon their release, they will be deported.
The arrest of the four in August 2009 resulted from recorded telephone calls with a confidential source of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Special agent Daniel G. Holcomb said it was Ya Bin Huang who provided 14.1 grams of ice to Chun Mei Lin who sold the drug to a confidential source for $6,000 in Chalan Kanoa on Aug. 29, 2008.
Local Immigration officers arrested Chun Mei Lin at the airport before she could board a plane to China.
The DEA said Ya Bin Huang was Chun Mei Lin’s driver when they were stopped by traffic officers after selling 14.1 grams of ice.
Biao Huang and Lian Sheng were arrested after they tried to sell 947 grams of ice to a confidential source and an undercover FBI agent at a hotel in Susupe.
A total of 1,021.4 grams of ice worth $510,000 were seized prior to the arrest of the four defendants, the DEA said.
