He was indicted on two counts of reckless violation of the Federal Aviation Act, and willful violation of the Hazardous Material Law on Feb. 25, 2010.
Bo Hu Li pleaded guilty to one count in an information charging him with a Class C misdemeanor for knowingly distributing an unregistered pesticide, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk W. Schuler, who is prosecuting the case.
Bo Hu Li, Schuler said, “tried to smuggle illegal Chinese pesticides by plane into the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This is a prevalent problem and common among Chinese farmers in the CNMI.”
Court documents showed that Bo Hu Li arrived on Saipan in 1995 as a farmer.
Bo Hu Li is poor and lacks an adequate education, the prosecution said.
Bo Hu Li lives with his wife, children and two brothers on Saipan.
He shipped unregistered pesticides from China to Saipan out of desire to grow better crops and make more money in the farming business, the prosecution stated.
The defendant’s lawful immigration status expires this year.
The public must know that pesticides are regulated, and that offenders will be punished, the prosecution stated.
It added that prosecuting pesticide violations will serve to publicize this illegal activity and deter future wrongdoing
Another defendant in a similar case pleaded to the same offense recently and was sentenced to two years probation.
The prosecution said Bo Hu Li “knowingly distributed an unregistered pesticide by shipping several pounds of Lannate” when he travelled from China to Saipan on board Shanghai Airlines on or about Feb. 17, 2009.
Bo Hu Li was arrested last October.
He posted $25,000 in unsecured bond and was released to a third party custodian.
