A boat captain in the far northwest Pacific has been sentenced in an upscale human smuggling scheme that netted him tens of thousands to shuttle undocumented Chinese nationals to the United States territory of Guam.
The case underscores the high price tag that some foreign nationals are willing to pay to reach the shores of the U.S. and its territories. Federal prosecutors said the illegal operation made at least $80,000 for the trip that would lead to the seizure of the captain's vessel - and other transports were made.
Steven Villagomez Pangelinan, 58, was one of four men who’ll be doing time in federal prison for their roles in the organized human smuggling operation that transported Chinese nationals between U.S. territories in the remote Pacific.
Each was found guilty of conspiracy to transport unauthorized aliens. Pangelinan, the leader of the mission, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
“The defendants facilitated illegal migration and risked the lives of many for their own financial gain,” said Shawn Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the districts of Guam and the Mariana Islands.
