4 accused of illegal transport to Guam plead not guilty

The four men who were recently indicted for their alleged involvement in a scheme to illegally transport Chinese nationals from Saipan to Guam have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

In their first appearance in court yesterday, Yan Juan Hu Taitano, Lee Jesse Omar Reyes, Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan, and Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik pleaded not guilty to one count each of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. The indictment accuses them of illegally transporting nine Chinese nationals from Saipan to Guam.

The four men have since been released on unsecured bonds and were ordered not to contact one another while their case is pending.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona Manglona scheduled a jury trial for all four men on April 2, at 10am.

Taitano is represented by Matthew Gregory, while Reyes is represented by Mark Scoggins. Sablan is represented by Janet King, while Marlik is represented by Bruce Berline.

The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley.

According to the indictment, beginning in or about June 2023, Taitano and Reyes orchestrated a plan to transport a group of nine Chinese nationals from the Northern Mariana Islands with “intent to unlawfully enter and reside in…Guam, knowing…that the Chinese nationals had no right or authority to enter Guam.”

To carry out the plan, Taitano and Reyes allegedly hired Sablan and Marlik to captain a small motorboat from Smiling Cove Marina on Saipan to Guam on or about July 9, 2023. The nine Chinese nationals were Li Xiaohua, Dong Chang Cai, Huang Xiulan, Yang Hongjiang, Weng Mei Fang, Wu Yingchun, Gao Kun, Tang Yong Bing, and Li Kun. All nine have been charged separately and have already pleaded guilty.

According to the indictment, the Chinese nationals agreed to pay Taitano and Reyes up to $5,000 per individual.

“On or about July 9, 2023, the defendants arranged for the boat to pick up the Chinese nationals at Smiling Cove Marina with the goal of transporting [them] to Guam. The Chinese nationals met Taitano and Reyes on at least two occasions to make down-payments; part of which…Taitano and Reyes used to purchase the motorboat that was to be used for the trip,” the indictment stated.

The indictment states that Reyes agreed to pay Sablan to drive the boat and to pay Marlik to provide assistance like refueling the boat.

“The boat departed Smiling Cove Marina at approximately 9pm with…Sablan and Marlik as well as the nine Chinese national passengers on board. The boat proceeded south toward…Guam,” said the indictment.

However, enroute, the boat ran out of fuel and began to drift just before it reached the island of Rota. They all had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The U.S. government wants to forfeit the vessel and the proceeds from carrying out the scheme.