The fourth defendant was not arraigned because the indictment was not written in the defendant’s native language.
Arraigned were Sheng Lian, Ya Bin Huang and Chun Mei Lin.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson ordered that the indictment for Biao Huang be translated into the defendant’s native language.
The next hearing for Biao Huang, who was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service, is on Wednesday.
Munson set the jury trial of Sheng Lian and Chun Mei Lin for Oct. 19.
The jury trial of Ya Bin Huang will start on Nov. 23, Munson said.
Ya Bin Huang stated in open court the he wished to waive his right to speedy trial.
The court then examined his understanding of his constitutional rights and his right to a speedy trial.
No bail was ordered by the court for Sheng Lian, Ya Bin Huang and Chun Mei Lin, who were also remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Pretrial motions for the three defendants should be filed no later than Sept. 18, Munson said.
The federal government was represented by U.S. Assistant Attorney James Benedetto.
Sheng Lian was represented by Robert Torres; Ya Bin Huang by Steve Pixley; Chun Mei Lin by Gilbert Birnbirch; while Biao Huang was represented by Robert Torres and Anthony Long.
Through their lawyers, the defendants reserved their right to have a bail hearing at a further date.
Ya Bin Huang has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
His arrest came following recorded telephone calls on Aug. 12 to 28, 2008 with a confidential source, said Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Daniel G. Holcomb in his affidavit.
The DEA said it was Ya Bin Huang who provided 14.1 grams of ice to Chun Mei Lin who sold the drug to a confidential source for $6,000 in Chalan Kanoa on Aug. 29, 2008.
Local Immigration officers arrested Chun Mei Lin at the airport before she could have boarded a plane to China.
The DEA said Ya Bin Huang was Chun Mei Lin’s driver when they were stopped by traffic officers after selling 14.1 grams of ice.
Biao Huang and Sheng Lian were arrested after they tried to sell 947 grams of ice to a confidential source and an undercover FBI agent at a hotel in Susupe.
A total of 1,021.4 grams of ice worth $510,000 were seized prior to the arrest of the four defendants, the DEA said.
