Hampton man gets prison for arranging sham Navy marriages

By: ASSOCIATED PRESS | Richmond Times Dispatch
Published: March 01, 2012

NORFOLK — A Hampton man has been sentenced to a prison term for his role in arranging sham marriages between Navy sailors and illegal immigrants.

The government says Jermar Jones was sentenced Wednesday in Norfolk federal court after his conviction last fall on 11 counts, including conspiracy and witness tampering. The 27-year-old defendant was sentenced to four years and four months.

According to court documents, Jones arranged the sham marriages between sailors from his ship and illegal immigrants from his home country of Grenada, as well as Trinidad. The scheme was intended to obtain benefits for the so-called newlyweds, such as an easier path to citizenship.

Sailors also received extra pay.

Navy co-conspirators and Jones are required to pay back more than $134,000 to the Navy.

source: Hampton man gets prison for arranging sham Navy marriages | Richmond Times-Dispatch