THE federal court on Friday sentenced former CNMI Bureau of Motor Vehicles Director Juana Cabrera Leon Guerrero to five years’ imprisonment and ordered her to pay a $15,000 fine for her involvement in a scheme to produce fraudulent CNMI driver’s licenses.
Her co-defendant, Yongde Li, was sentenced to 10 months.
Leon Guerrero’s family and friends submitted letters asking the court for leniency. Her 85-year-old mother also spoke during the five-hour sentencing hearing, and asked the judge to sentence her daughter “not more than necessary.”
Leon Guerrero likewise spoke in court to ask for everyone’s forgiveness.
“I had planned with another person to help issue a driver’s license [to those] who were not eligible and qualified … and undocumented individuals. I would like to ask for a big forgiveness. Please forgive me as I carry the burden of my offense and I hope it will ease the embarrassment and shame that you feel on my behalf,” Leon Guerrero said.
She thanked her mother, husband, children, grandchildren and friends for their support and understanding.
Leon Guerrero also thanked attorney Robert T. Torres for representing her.
Before sentencing her, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI told Leon Guerrero, “Rather than do something about this problem, you participated. You are well regarded by your peers and family…[but you have brought] shame…on your family and the entire CNMI [Department of Public Safety] and to all law enforcement officers who are working so hard to uphold the law.”
Judge Manglona sentenced Leon Guerrero to a prison term of 60 months or five years and three years of supervised release after serving her sentence.
Moreover, Leon Guerrero “shall pay a fine of $15,000. Payment in the amount of $50 a month to begin January 15, 2024. Defendant shall pay a special assessment fee of $100 to be paid immediately after sentencing.”
Leon Guerrero remained released after the sentencing on Friday afternoon. She was ordered to check in with the U.S. Marshals Service every Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. She was informed that if she failed to report to the U.S. Marshals she would be charged with a separate crime.
The court order for Leon Guerrero did not indicate when she would begin her sentence, but Judge Manglona recommended to the Bureau of Prisons that Leon Guerrero be placed in the State of Washington or, alternatively, in the northwest region.
Co-defendant
Leon Guerrero’s co-defendant, Yongde Li, who was represented by attorney Janet King, was sentenced to a prison term of 10 months, with credit for time served of 12 days, followed by three years’ supervised release.
“Defendant shall pay a special assessment fee of $200 to be paid immediately after sentencing,” Judge Manglona said. “Defendant must perform 50 hours of community service in lieu of a fine,” she added.
Prior to his sentencing, Li’s wife and daughter asked for forgiveness and leniency.
Judge Manglona recommended that Li serve his sentence on Saipan. The judge also ordered that Li’s passport be submitted to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Li cannot enter the United States without the written consent and approval from the U.S attorney general, Judge Manglona said.
After the hearing, Li was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Before the sentencing hearing, Li’s pretrial release was revoked by the court after finding that he had violated the terms and conditions of his release.
The U.S. Probation Office said Li drove a vehicle multiple times, which was prohibited as part of his conditional release. Li also lied in his reports to the U.S. Probation Office when he claimed that he was never questioned nor arrested by law enforcement when in fact he was stopped three times on different traffic violations, such as driving without a license and speeding, among other things.
Background
According to the indictment, on or about Jan. 1, 2020 through on or about Dec. 20, 2022, Leon Guerrero knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with Li, also known as “Ivan”; fellow employees of the BMV; residents of the CNMI without lawful immigration status; and others, to commit an offense against the United States: specifically, to knowingly and without lawful authority produce an identification document — namely, a CNMI driver’s license.
On or about Jan. 1, 2020 through on or about Dec. 20, 2022, on 60 occasions, Leon Guerrero knowingly permitted “Ivan,” a citizen of the People’s Republic of China without lawful immigration status in the United States, but a resident of the CNMI, to bring other citizens of the PRC and of other nationalities without lawful immigration status in the United States, to the BMV, where those foreign citizens were subsequently issued fraudulent CNMI driver’s licenses.
Ivan arrived in the CNMI from China on March 27, 2012, and his legal immigration status expired on March 26, 2013.
