Last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk W. Schuler filed an indictment against Wei Lin for bringing in five Chinese nationals in the Northern Marianas as “tourists” but were promised to work as waitresses, cleaners, or taxi driver.
The individuals were one male, and four females.
A grand jury charged Wei Lin with one count of foreign labor contracting fraud conspiracy, four counts of foreign labor contracting fraud, one count of alien smuggling conspiracy-encouraging, five counts of alien smuggling-encouraging, one count of alien smuggling conspiracy-harboring, and five counts of alien smuggling-harboring.
The foreign labor contracting fraud conspiracy occurred from on or about July 18, 2010 and continuing to on or about Nov. 6, 2010, the indictment stated.
It added that in exchange for several thousands of dollars, Wei Lin acted with others to recruit and solicit the five Chinese nationals for employment in the CNMI “based on materially false promises and representations about their employment opportunities” on the islands.
In July and Aug. 2010, Wei Lin, while in the CNMI, called one or more of the five Chinese nationals in China “to encourage them to come to the CNMI.”
In Aug. and Sept. 2010, Wei Lin, with the help of others, picked up the five Chinese nationals at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
Wei Lin collected over $4,000 from each of the five Chinese nationals upon their arrival, the indictment stated.
Wei Lin made the four female Chinese nationals sign a contract, and gave them employment on or about Sept. 10, 2010 that was different from what had been described to them while they were in China.
Wei Lin never provided employment to the male Chinese national.
Wei Lin informed five Chinese nationals to tell U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors that they were arriving as tourists.
The five Chinese nationals were eventually paroled as tourists under the parole program for Chinese nationals.
Between Aug. and Oct. 2010, parole status of the five Chinese nationals had each expired.
Last Aug., visiting federal Judge Mark W. Bennett of the Northern District of Iowa, who presided over the jury trial, granted the prosecution’s oral motion to continue Wei Lin’s detention after jurors convicted him.
Wei Lin’s defense counsels informed the court that their client had been in detention since April, or almost five months, and that he might have already exceeded the expected prison sentence.
The prosecution agreed, adding that the sentencing range was between zero and six months.
A presentence investigation report is submitted to the court usually after 90 days.
Bennett said he would talk to the U.S. Probation Office to expedite the submission of the presentence investigation report.
