Pubdate: Fri, 08 Jul 2005
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp.
Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689
Author: Elizabeth Graham
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/border+patrol

WOMAN GETS 18 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUGS

SYRACUSE - The Vancouver, British Columbia, woman found in possession
of $2 million in ecstasy and marijuana last October in Morristown was
sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.

Hai Thi Nguyen, 49, of 148 East Parkway, was sentenced June 28 in
Syracuse Federal Court to 215 months (approximately 18 years) in a
Bureau of Prisons Facility in California, according to Dominic
Tibbetts, Syracuse Federal Court deputy clerk.

Nguyen and Heather M. Clement-Shenandoah, 31, of 1688 Charles Avenue,
St. Paul, Minn., were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent
to distribute drugs in violation of federal law in October.

Clement-Shenandoah was sentenced June 28 to 24 months (two years),
Tibbetts said.

Police said the pair were traveling together in separate vehicles when
they entered a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint at the intersection of
state Highways 12 and 37 on Oct. 3. A search of the vehicles found
60,000 pills of Methylene-dioxymethaphetamine (MDMA, or ecstasy) and
approximately 16 pounds of marijuana.

Clement-Shenandoah told U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents
when questioned that she was transporting the drugs on behalf of
others associated with organized crime in Toronto, and that Nguyen was
escorting her, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Nguyen was defended by a court appointed attorney, Ken Moynihan. She
was sentenced to 215 months for conspiracy to posses with the intent
to distribute, aid and abet the possession of marijuana and MDMA. She
was also sentenced to 6 months for unlawful entry to the U.S., to be
served concurrently. On release, she will face five years of
probation, said Tibbetts.

Clement-Shenandoah was defended by Lisa Peebles of the Federal Public
Defenders Office, sentenced to 24 months for conspiracy to posses with
the intent to distribute, aid and abet the possession of marijuana and
MDMA, Tibbetts said, and will also face five years probation on release.

Both appeared in Syracuse Federal Court before Justice Norman A.
Mordue and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl G.
Eurenius. Calls to Eurenius were not returned.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin