In his sentencing memorandum, George Anthony Long told the federal court that “a sentence of incarceration would defeat such purposes” of U.S. Sentencing Guidelines as applicable to his client.
Long said his client did not plead guilty to conspiracy.
His client, moreover, “not only accepted responsibility for her conduct but she also provided assistance to the government in connection with the sale of fraudulent [CNMI] driver licenses,” he added.
Miah “worked as an informant and wore a recording device to assist the government in its investigation of the matter,” Long said.
Miah’s assistance resulted in the arrest and conviction of a commonwealth government employee, Long added.
This and Miah’s life circumstances as well as lack of guidance during her youth also justify a variance, the lawyer said.
He noted that Miah does not have a prior criminal offense.
Miah did not complete high school and had two children already at the age of 15, Long said.
She subsequently married her husband “because her family suggested it could give them some financial advantage,” Long added.
He said Miah is currently going through divorce proceedings with the children’s father, a nonresident who pleaded guilty to felony and who, in all likelihood, will be sentenced to incarceration and subsequently deported.
Long said “the facts indicated she engaged in the conduct given rise to her guilty plea at the direction of her husband…. The above circumstances justifies a variance and a sentence of probation.”
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona will sentence Miah this Friday.
The other defendants in this case are Miah’s former husband, Mohammad Jahangir Miah, Hongmei Sun, Hui Qiang Yan, and former DPS Bureau of Motor Vehicles examiner William A. Hocog.
