Heqian Ma, through her court-appointed defense attorney Michael Norita Evangelista, wants the federal court to amend her conditions of release.
After Heqian Ma’s change of plea hearing early this month, the U.S. District Court for the NMI earlier directed the defendant “to stay away” from individuals that may become a victim or potential witnesses in the investigation or prosecution of this case, and to not change her place of residence without written permission of the court.
Evangelista said his client is presently living in an apartment in San Antonio. Given her present living arrangements, Evangelista said his client “feels that to ensure her full compliance with the ‘stay away’ order…of her conditions of release, it is imperative that she be allowed to relocate, as the apartment complex she currently resides in is known to be frequented by individuals that she is ordered to stay away from.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has been advised and does not object with the motion, Evangelista said.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona scheduled Ma’s sentencing for Dec. 6, 2011. The judge also granted Evangelista’s motion to release his client from custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Heqian Ma has been detained at the CNMI Department of Corrections facility since her arrest in April. She was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last April for enticing a nonresident couple to come to Saipan and work at a massage shop.
