Thread: Men Sentenced in Chinese Immigrants Smuggling Case

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California2/C ... 70CA.shtml
Inland Southern California
Tuesday April 26, 2005 2:59 p.m. ED

Men sentenced in Chinese immigrants smuggling case

By GILLIAN FLACCUS


The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Two men convicted of smuggling themselves and 17 other Chinese immigrants into this country by hiding in an empty shipping container were each sentenced Monday to five years in prison, the minimum federal sentence allowed.

Jian Rong Tan and Wen Hsue Chang were convicted last May of conspiracy, bringing illegal immigrants into the U.S. for financial gain and harboring illegal immigrants.

On Monday, the two stood quietly in green prison tops and blue pants, their hands and ankles cuffed, and listened as the proceedings were translated into Cantonese.

Chang, 41, briefly addressed U.S. District Judge William J. Rea before hearing his sentence.

"This is the first time I've come to America and I didn't know anything. I've made some mistakes, but I didn't realize I'd made such a serious offense," Chang said through a translator. "I'd like to ask for leniency. Give me a lighter sentence."

Prosecutors said Tan and Chang, both from China's southern Guangdong Province, acted as "enforcers" during the 25-day trip, living in the 40-foot-long container with the immigrants to make sure they didn't escape.

The others paid $40,000 apiece for the trip, part of which was provided beforehand, prosecutors said, alleging Tan and Chang got a discount for their role.

The cramped space was stocked with little more than water, dried noodles, cooling fans and makeshift toilets fashioned from water bottles, officials said. An 8-inch hole in the container provided ventilation.

The 19 men were found Feb. 24 at Los Angeles harbor by customs inspectors, who acted on a tip. The container was located after being loaded onto a tractor-trailer. It was leaking waste.

The plan had called for the men to remain locked in the container for another week while it was transported aboard a train to an undisclosed destination in the Midwest, where they would find jobs.

Judge Rea called the smuggling operation "inhumane" but added Tan and Chang didn't appear to be its leaders and had never been in trouble before. He waived a $900 fee for each defendant, saying it was unlikely they could pay.

Ellen Barry, Tan's attorney, said her 36-year-old client wanted little more than to resettle in the United States and find a job.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Beong-Soo Kim said, however, that the two men "were certainly very active in the plan."

Two other men believed to be the masterminds of the smuggling ring have been indicted in Hong Kong, where one is serving time in another smuggling case. The U.S. government wants to bring the two men to the United States to face the charges, Kim said.

The others found with Tan and Chang have been deported or are involved in deportation proceedings, he said.

The number of Chinese nationals smuggled into the country through Los Angeles-area ports has dropped off in recent years, officials said. More than 60 stowaways have been found in containers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach since 2002.

"This is the first time I've come to America and I didn't know anything. I've made some mistakes, but I didn't realize I'd made such a serious offense," Chang said through a translator. "I'd like to ask for leniency. Give me a lighter sentence."

Shoot, I can't stop laughing today..........YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT COMING HERE IN A CONTAINER WAS - oh maybe - not LEGAL??

Give me a lighter sentance? I'm going to fall over again, this is too much to handle.

Yea, right. This is sick, sick, sick, LOL!

This guy is too stupid to be "outside."

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

"This is the first time I've come to America and I didn't know anything. I've made some mistakes, but I didn't realize I'd made such a serious offense," Chang said through a translator. "I'd like to ask for leniency. Give me a lighter sentence."

Shoot, I can't stop laughing today..........YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT COMING HERE IN A CONTAINER WAS - oh maybe - not LEGAL??

Give me a lighter sentance? I'm going to fall over again, this is too much to handle.

Yea, right. This is sick, sick, sick, LOL!

You are so Funny!
And the guy had a translator of all things. I'll bet the translator wanted to smack him. What an IDIOT!