Guam Chief Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood, sitting by designation, granted Heqian Ma’s request.
Ma, through court-appointed defense attorney Michael N. Evangelista, said an investigator is needed to assist her defense counsel in additional investigation to ensure that she is “afforded the opportunity to mount a complete and proper defense.”
The court has scheduled Ma’s jury trial for Aug. 1, 2011.
Evangelista said the assistance of an investigator is needed to facilitate additional investigation, since his client has been ordered by the federal court to remain detained until trial.
Ma was indicted on two counts of alien smuggling, and one count of fraud in foreign labor contracting. She has denied the charges.
“[Ma] needs an investigator to search for tangible or testamentary evidence from all witnesses in this case, as well as to investigate and probe into the accusations and allegations made against defendant…and examine the government’s evidence, so that she may adequately prepare her defense,” Evangelista told the federal court.
He said his client is indigent and unable to afford the services of a private investigator.
On April 25, 2011, Ma was arrested by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations after the victims, Weifeng Guo and Yuyan Li, who are both Chinese nationals, reported to the Homeland Security Investigations office on Saipan on Feb. 3, 2011 that they were defrauded by Ma to come to Saipan from China to work at a massage shop.
They were also brought to Tinian to work on a farm, according to court documents.
