Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Ottawa Citizen Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Author: CanWest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) JAIL TERM A WARNING FOR OTHERS: JUDGE A federal judge in Seattle who sentenced five British Columbia First Nations members for marijuana smuggling advised them to spread the word back home about harsh U.S. penalties. United States District Judge Ricardo Martinez sentenced the five First Nations members Friday to six months in prison and two years of probation. They were arrested at the U.S.-Canada border riding in vans that each carried about 35 kilograms of marijuana. Judge Martinez rejected a defence request for a sentence of probation, saying he wanted to send a message to others who might be tempted to serve as "mules" for drug smugglers. "I want every other First Nation member in Canada, and I want every other Canadian, to understand that the sentencing laws of the United States are very, very harsh," he said. "Tell your young people how they can get themselves caught so easily in something they have no idea what the consequences will be." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman