The United States Courthouse in Gualo Rai, Saipan.
AN arrest warrant was issued for a boat captain, a boat crewmember and two other individuals who are accused of orchestrating a plan to illegally transport nine Chinese nationals by boat from Saipan to Guam.
The indictment, which was unsealed recently in federal court, named Yan Juan Hu Taitano, Lee Jesse Omar Reyes, Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan and Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik as defendants. They were arrested and charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.
On Tuesday morning, Taitano and Reyes came for an initial appearance before District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona.
Taitano, represented by attorney Matthew T. Gregory, waived the reading of his rights and entered a plea of not guilty. Reyes, represented by attorney Mark Scoggins, likewise waived the reading of his rights and entered a plea of not guilty.
Judge Manglona said the trial for both defendants will start on April 2 at 10 a.m.
Taitano and Reyes were released on their own recognizance and were ordered to abide by the terms and conditions of their release.
As for Sablan and Marlik, they are scheduled to appear in court for a hearing today, Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 3 p.m.
Reckless disregard
According to the indictment, “Beginning in or about June 2023, Yan Juan Hu Taitano and Lee Jesse Omar Reyes orchestrated a plan to transport a group of nine Chinese nationals, all of whom are unindicted co-conspirators, from the District of the Northern Mariana Islands with the intent to unlawfully enter and reside in the Territory of Guam, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the Chinese nationals had no right or authority to enter Guam.”
In furtherance of the plan, Taitano and Reyes hired Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan and Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik to drive a small motorboat from Smiling Cove Marina, Saipan to Guam, on or about July 9, 2023, “for the purpose of transporting and moving the Chinese nationals in furtherance of a violation of law,” the indictment stated.
The Chinese nationals agreed to pay Taitano and Reyes up to $5,000 per individual to be transported from Saipan to Guam, according to the indictment.
The Chinese nationals met Taitano and Reyes “on at least two occasions to make down payments, part of which … Taitano and Reyes used to purchase the motorboat that was to be used for the trip,” the indictment stated.
On or about July 9, 2023, “defendants arranged for the boat to pick up the Chinese nationals at Smiling Cove Marina with the goal of transporting the Chinese nationals to Guam. Reyes agreed to pay Sablan to drive the boat and Marlik to provide assistance, including to refuel the boat en route. The boat departed Smiling Cove Marina at approximately 9 p.m. with Sablan and Marlik as well as the nine Chinese national passengers on board,” the indictment continued.
“The boat proceeded south toward the Territory of Guam. The boat ran out of fuel and began to drift just before it reached the island of Rota, thus necessitating a rescue operation by the United States Coast Guard,” the indictment stated.
On or about July 10, 2023, the indictment stated, Yan Juan Hu Taitano, Lee Jesse Omar Reyes, Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan and Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik “combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with each other, as well as others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to violate 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(l)(A)(v)(I), specifically, conspiracy to transport illegal aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(l)(A)(ii), to wit, by agreeing to transport the nine aliens … knowing and in reckless disregard that said aliens were in the United States in violation of law and in furtherance of such violation of law, all in violation of Title 8, United States Code, 13 Section 1324(a)(l)(A)(ii) and (v)(I).”
According to the indictment, the illegal aliens were Li Xiaohua, Dong Changcai, Huang Xiulan, Yang Hongjiang, Weng Meifang, Wu Yingchun, Gao Kun, Tang Yongbing and Li Kun.
A forfeiture complaint was also filed against the defendants.
Upon conviction, they shall forfeit to the U.S. any “vessel, vehicle or aircraft used in the commission of the offense of which defendants are convicted; and any property real or personal that constitutes, or is derived from or is traceable to proceeds obtained directly or indirectly from the commission of the offense of which defendants are convicted; or that is used to facilitate, or is intended to be used to facilitate, the commission of the offense of which defendants are convicted.”
