CHIEF Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI on Wednesday sentenced three individuals for their involvement in the importation of more than two pounds of methamphetamine through the U.S. Postal Service.
Hongjie Li, Huaishu Wang, and Yongbing Ni appeared at a sentencing hearing in the custody of the U.S. Marshals with their court-appointed lawyers.
Judge Manglona sentenced Hongjie Li to 57 months or four years and nine months’ imprisonment with credit for time served, followed by a term of three years’ supervised release.
Li was also ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100 immediately after sentencing.
In lieu of a fine, Judge Manglona said the defendant must perform 50 hours of community service at the direction of the U.S. Probation Office.
Huaishi Wang was sentenced to 15 years and six months or 186 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Wang was also given credit for time served.
Wang was ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100 immediately after sentencing.
In addition, Wang will perform 100 hours of community service at the direction of the U.S. Probation Office.
As for Yongbi Ni, Judge Manglona sentenced him to 10 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
Ni was also ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100 immediately after sentencing.
“In lieu of a fine, the defendant must perform 50 hours of community service at the direction of the U.S. Probation Office,” Judge Manglona said.
After the hearing, Li and Wang were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals while Ni, who was given credit for time served, was released.
Li, Wang and Ni were represented by attorneys David Banes, Janet King, and Robert T. Torres, respectively.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Flores Jr. and Ashley Kost appeared for the federal government.
As requested by the prosecution, Judge Manglona ordered the forfeiture of $65,408.00 to the U.S. government.
In May 2022, the U.S Drug Enforcement Agency executed a search warrant and seized drugs, money, and drug paraphernalia from the defendants at a drug den in Papago.
