The United States Courthouse in Gualo Rai, Saipan.
YONGBING Tang has pled guilty to conspiring with four others in illegally transporting Chinese nationals by boat to Guam.
Tang was among the nine Chinese nationals on a boat that ran out of fuel and began to drift just before it reached Rota on July 9, 2023, necessitating a rescue operation by the U.S. Coast Guard.
At a hearing on Feb. 7, 2024, before Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy of the District Court for the NMI, Tang, represented by attorney Joe McDoulett, waived the reading of the indictment and pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (v)(I).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley appeared for the federal government while Xiaohua “Monique” Kramer served as the defendant’s interpreter.
Judge Kennedy on the same day made a recommendation to Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona to accept the defendant’s guilty plea.
The defendant was fully competent to enter a knowing and voluntary plea, Judge Kennedy said.
She likewise unsealed the plea agreement, released Tang under his own personal recognizance, and directed him to abide by the terms and conditions of his release.
According to the plea agreement, Tang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, was in the United States on or about July 9, 2023, without valid or current legal immigration status.
“On or before July 9, 2023, defendant knew or recklessly disregarded that Kun Li, Changcai Dong, Hongjiang Yang, Yingchun Wu, Kun Gao, Meifang Weng and Xiulan Huang were citizens of the PRC and were in the United States without valid or current legal immigration status, and Xiaohua Li was a citizen of the PRC who was not authorized to enter Guam,” the plea agreement stated.
“On or before July 9, 2023, on Saipan, in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Defendant conspired, confederated and agreed with Yan Juan Hu Taitano, Lee Jesse Omar Reyes, Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan and Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik to transport Defendant, Kun Li, Changcai Dong, Hongjiang Yang, Yingchun Wu, Kun Gao, MeiFang Weng, Xiaohua Li and Xiulan Huang by boat from the island of Saipan in the CNMI to the island of Guam, knowing that the purpose and intent was to avoid detection by law enforcement and to enter the Territory of Guam at a location other than a designated point of entry,” the plea agreement added.
“In or about July 2023, Defendant gave Yan Juan Hu Taitano $5,000 cash as an overt act toward completion of the movement and transportation of illegal aliens.
“On or about July 9, 2023, Defendant stepped on board a boat in Smiling Cove Marina, on the island of Saipan…as an overt act toward completion of the movement and transportation of illegal aliens,” the plea agreement stated.
After Tang signed the plea agreement, the U.S. government agreed to recommend a jail sentence of 30 days.
The defendant, for his part, agreed to not contest his removal from the U.S. upon completion of his sentence.
Tang’s co-defendants Taitano, Reyes, Sablan and Marlik have pled not guilty to the charges against them. They have also been released by the court under their own recognizance.
