Man gets 90 days for marriage fraud conspiracy

The Superior Court has ordered a man to spend 90 days in prison for soliciting and conspiring with other persons to commit marriage fraud.

Associate Judge David A. Wiseman sentenced Minto Minto to the maximum term of one year in prison, all suspended except for 90 days, for conspiring with others to commit marriage fraud. For the solicitation charge, the judge sentenced Minto to the maximum term of one year, all suspended except for 90 days.

The two sentences shall run concurrently; this means the total prison term for both offenses is 90 days imprisonment.

Following the plea agreement, Wiseman gave the defendant credit for 27 days that he has already served in jail.

Minto was ordered to start serving his prison term at the Department of Corrections on Oct. 22, 2008, at 8am. He will be released on Jan. 20, 2009, at 8am.

Wiseman said he is hoping that the sentence “will serve as a deterrent to Minto and to others, as well as serving the retribution that society demands.”

After completing the prison term, Minto will be placed on five years of supervised release.

He was also required to pay a $1,000 fine, $100 in court assessment fee plus probation fee, and to perform 100 hours of community service.

Minto, Maria Aurelio Ray, and MD. Saiful Islam were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and one count of solicitation.

In addition, Minto, Ray, and Munnaf Miah were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and one count of solicitation.

On Aug. 13, the jury found Minto guilty of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and solicitation.

In May, the jury found Ray guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, but acquitted her of two counts of solicitation.

Last July, the jury found Miah guilty of solicitation and not guilty of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud.

The jury trial for Islam was set for July 21, 2008, but Saipan Tribune learned that the trial did not push through as the defendant has already fled to Bangladesh.

According to the charging information, on March 2007 Ray, Islam, and Minto unlawfully agreed that Islam would marry Alisilynn Mallens for the sole purpose of obtaining a labor or immigration benefit.

In March 2007, Ray, Miah, and Minto allegedly conspired that Miah would marry Severene Kosam for the purpose of obtaining a labor or immigration benefit.

In March 2007, Ray, Islam and Minto allegedly encouraged Kosam and Mallens to arrange the marriage of Islam and Mallens.

In the same period, Ray, Miah, and Minto allegedly encouraged Kosam to marry Miah.