CHIEF Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI has sentenced Lianpeng Zhang to 30 days’ imprisonment for the charge of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.
Judge Manglona gave the defendant credit of nine days for time served. In addition, Zhang will be placed on one-year supervised release, and was also ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100 immediately after sentencing.
At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, Zhang was represented by attorney Robert Torres with Chien Li “Tony” Yen serving as the defendant’s interpreter.
U.S. Probation Officer Juanette David-Atalig made an amendment to the sentencing recommendations and reported to the court that the defendant was gainfully employed.
Torres confirmed that his client was employed and requested that he serve on weekends to be able to keep his employment.
Judge Manglona told the defendant that he will serve 21 days of “intermittent confinement.”
“The intermittent confinement shall be served for seven consecutive weekends at the Department of Corrections facility beginning on Friday, 7/26/2024 at 7:30 p.m. and ending on Sundays, at 5 p.m. You must follow the rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections facility,” the judge said.
The indictments against Zhang’s co-defendants were still sealed as of Thursday evening.
Zhang pled guilty to the charge on March 8, 2024.
The plea agreement, in part, reads:
“On or before Jan. 5, 2024 … defendant conspired, confederated and agreed with Wenri Piao, Yujian Zheng, Wenxing Wang and Guizhi Zang to transport and move themselves and each other by boat from the island of Saipan, in the CNMI to the territory 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.
“On or before Jan. 5, 2024, defendant gave Wenri Piao $7,000 as an overt act toward the completion of the movement and transportation of illegal aliens….
“Defendant knew or recklessly disregarded that on Jan. 5, 2024, Wenri Piao, Yujian Zheng, Wenxing Wang and Guizhi Zang were citizens of People’s Republic of China and were in the United States without valid or current legal immigration status.”
As of press time Thursday evening, no other information was available regarding Zhang’s co-defendants.
