CHIEF Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI on Wednesday issued a warrant for convicted methamphetamine dealer Zhaopeng Chen who failed to board his deportation flight to China on Oct. 31, 2021 at 11:55 p.m.
The New York U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Office placed Chen on “absconder” status as of Dec. 12, 2021. U.S. Probation Officer Gregory F. Arriola said.
Chen was sentenced to serve a 63-month prison term for his involvement in the shipment of 4.9 lbs of methamphetamine or ice to the CNMI in 2015.
His co-defendants, Xi Huang and Shicheng Cai, pled guilty to the drug charge. Zhaopeng Chen went to trial and was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 7, 2016.
Judge Manglona sentenced Chen to 63 months in prison — five years and three months — with credit for 379 days of time served. Xi Huang was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison while Shicheng Cai was sentenced to 41 months in prison.
In his petition for a warrant or summons for offender under supervision, Arriola stated that on May 22, 2020, Chen completed his term of imprisonment with the Bureau of Prisons.
However, he remained in custody because of an immigration detainer and warrant of arrest lodged by U.S. ICE on June 26, 2018.
On Dec. 10, 2021, the Saipan ICE office was contacted to verify Chen’s deportation status.
Arriola said “ICE Deportation Officer Sean White advised that on April 29, 2020, Mr. Chen was served with an Expedited Removal Order. He was temporarily placed under the supervision of the New York ICE Enforcement and Removal Office (ERO) pending his removal to China. Additionally, he wore an ankle monitor for location monitoring purposes. An airline ticket was eventually secured and on October 30, 2021, the ankle monitor was removed before Mr. Chen boarded his flight. His flight route consisted of departing LaGuardia Airport, making a layover stop at Los Angeles International Airport, and finally arriving at Xiamen, China.”
According to Officer White, records indicated that Chen was scheduled to depart from Los Angeles International Airport on October 31, 2021 at 11:55 p.m. However, “Mr. Chen failed to board the flight.” As of Dec. 12, 2021, the New York ERO placed Chen under “absconder” status, Arriola said.
An absconder is “a fugitive who runs away and hides to avoid arrest or prosecution.”
Arriola, who was assigned to supervise Chen once he is released from prison, requested the court to issue a warrant of arrest for the defendant.
