Wencai Guo Sentenced for Harboring Illegal Aliens

          SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Wencai GUO was sentenced today by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona for Harboring Illegal Aliens, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(a). The conviction was based on his role in supervising and concealing from detection illegal workers who had entered the United States to work at the Best Sunshine Hotel and Casino construction site. Defendant GUO was sentenced to 18 months in prison, one year of supervised release after incarceration, and a $5,000.00 fine.

          United States Attorney Anderson stated, “The parole system, whereby tourists from the People’s Republic of China may enter the United States without a visa and without participation in a visa-waiver program, has resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal workers in construction and various other positions of employment in the Northern Mariana Islands. The United States Attorney’s Office will pursue cases of harboring and employment of illegal aliens against employers and others engaging in this unlawful activity.  People entering the CNMI under the parole system cannot lawfully work.  We will therefore pursue illegal entry charges against workers who enter the United States posing as tourists. Those tourists overstaying their terms under the parole system should depart the CNMI at the earliest opportunity.”

          Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney James Benedetto prosecuted the case.