By Gary V. Murray, Telegram
WORCESTER — A California pilot was sentenced to jail Monday after pleading guilty to a possession of marijuana with intent to distribute charge stemming from his 2011 arrest at Fitchburg Airport.
Marijuana. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
Hoang Nguyen, 34, of Garden Grove, Calif., was initially charged with trafficking in 50 to 100 pounds of marijuana after authorities said he landed a plane containing 74 pounds of the drug at the airport in Fitchburg on Sept. 27, 2011.
Mr. Nguyen pleaded guilty Monday in Worcester Superior Court to a reduced charge of marijuana possession with intent to distribute. He was sentenced by Judge James R. Lemire to 2 years in the House of Correction with 6 months to be served. The balance of the sentence was suspended for 2 years with administrative probation.
The sentence imposed by the judge was recommended by Assistant District Attorney Timothy M. Farrell and Mr. Nguyen’s lawyer, Leonard J. Staples, under a plea agreement. Mr. Nguyen was given credit for 81 days he spent in custody awaiting the disposition of his case.
Paul R. Jarvey, a spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration were in court for the plea hearing and suspended Mr. Nguyen’s pilot’s license for life. Mr. Jarvey said Mr. Nguyen also agreed to the forfeiture of about $77,000 that was seized at the time of his arrest.
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