Posted: Friday, December 6, 2013 9:30 am | Updated: 10:21 am, Fri Dec 6, 2013.

By TIM PRATT
capgaznews.com

A Chinese national who stabbed a co-worker during a fight at a Gambrills steakhouse earlier this year pleaded guilty to first-degree assault Thursday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

Judge Paul A. Hackner sentenced Li Ming Chen, 27, to time served for the Sept. 4 attack at Fuji Japanese Steakhouse. But Chen, who listed an address in Washington, D.C., is still being held under a federal detention order issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Chen was working at the restaurant in the 1400 block of South Main Chapel Way at about 3:40 p.m. when he and a co-worker got into an argument over food, charging documents state. The conflict escalated and the co-worker struck Chen in the head with a frying pan, Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Marsh said.

In retaliation, Chen swung a knife at his co-worker, slicing him on the top of the head. The co-worker told police the knife would have slashed his throat if he hadn’t moved.

Chen’s co-worker then fled, but Chen chased him, stabbed him and sliced him again, Marsh said.

“It was more reaction than anything with respect to how he responded back,” defense attorney George Psoras said.

Other restaurant employees stepped in to end the altercation. Chen left the scene to get ice for his injury, but came back.

The victim was taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, where he received stitches and staples to close his wounds, according to charging documents. He wasn’t charged.

Chen was charged with attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment. The state dropped the remaining charges in exchange for his plea.

Hackner gave Chen credit for the 93 days he has served since the incident and gave him five years of probation. He could be deported due to his guilty plea, Hackner said.

Chen entered the U.S. in 2011 after arriving as a stowaway on a tanker from China, Psoras said. He doesn’t speak English and needed an interpreter during the hearing.

Through the interpreter, Chen declined to speak on his own behalf.

The victim has since moved to New York.

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