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."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman