Long, 59, was sentenced on Tuesday afternoon before District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood.
He was sentenced to serve a total of 87 months in prison to be followed by five years’ supervised release.
Long admitted that he attempted to smuggle hundreds of grams of methamphetamine into Guam. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine hydrochloride with intent to distribute.
“My addiction was so high,” Long said. “Primarily, it was just to maintain my addiction.”
He appeared virtually from a Department of Corrections facility, as he read a letter to the court asking for leniency.
“Never again will I jeopardize or put my family under any risk. To the island community, never was it my intention to cause harm or danger to anyone. Guam has always been my home. Hopefully, there will be forgiveness for my actions,” he said, as he also asked the court to be released from prison for a couple of days to be with his family before he begins serving his time off island.
“Mr. Long has a real fear with what is going on with Covid-19 in the prison. He is fearful he may never see his family again,” said defense attorney Shane Black.
Long’s wife, Vivian, pleaded for her husband to be granted time to spend with his family.
“He has been a good father to our 4-year-old daughter,” she said. “We just want to ask for some time to be together before he is sent away.”
The chief judge told Long, “You seem a lot more calmer, more remorseful and less combative. It’s like a new you in my court, and I have not seen that for you.”
However, she denied the request after both the U.S. Probation Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office objected.
A judicial recommendation was made to have him serve his sentence in Mississippi.
Long was arrested in May 2019 after he tried to smuggle 530 grams of meth on a flight from Honolulu to Guam.
He was released the next day, court documents state, but was picked up again by investigators after he attempted to receive a package containing 377.2 grams of meth.
