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Ishibashi to spend 40 months in federal prison
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Posted on Jul 19 1999
Convicted drug dealer Kojo Ishibashi has been sentenced to spend three years and four months in federal prison.
Ishibashi, along with some other defendants, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office after police authorities confiscated about 270 grams of crystal metamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” which was shipped into Saipan in August 1998.
On Dec. 3 last year, Ishibashi pled guilty to charges of conspiracy, importation, possession and distribution of controlled substance.
“The sentence was considerably lower than I expected,” said US Asst. Atty. David T. Wood. “My original recommendation was for a period set by the law.”
Ishibashi’s jail term would have been much longer than 40 months, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office could not prove the actual weight of the substance found in his possession.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had charged Ishibashi for the 270 grams of “ice” which was imported into the CNMI, but Ishibashi claimed he was in possession of only 11 grams.
The court said that “the burden is on the government to show that the total weight of the substance was what the defendant picked up.”
“The court made a determination that the actual amount that he possessed, as opposed to the amount that was imported, was the proper amount to count in relation to his sentencing,” Wood said.
Wood said Ishibashi would have been sentenced to 46 months under the federal guidelines, but federal Judge Alex Munson gave the defendant a six-month credit for assisting the government in solving the case.
Ishibashi had cooperated with the government as part of his plea agreement in the court.
Wood said Ishibashi will be sent to a federal prison which has yet to be identified.
Ishibashi was released temporarily on Friday pending prison designation.
“The court released him pending prison designation on condition that he will not go to the airport or seaport or any port where he could leave the island,” Wood said. “Ishibashi was also instructed to call the Marshal office once every day so he would know where his designation will take place.”
