International Drug Trafficker Faces 25-Year Sentence
A Chinese national convicted of manslaughter in Palau and accused of leading a major drug trafficking operation in the Pacific has been extradited to Saipan under an agreement between the United States and Palau.
According to Marianas Variety, federal prosecutors are seeking a 25-year prison sentence for Ye Fang, also known as “Batu,” who pleaded guilty on May 21, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Flores Jr. described Fang as “one of the most abominable criminals to step foot in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”
Flores noted that despite Fang facing a murder prosecution in the Republic of Palau, U.S. authorities prioritized extraditing him to Saipan, citing a stronger likelihood of securing a significant sentence for narcotics trafficking. Fang had been sentenced in Palau to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the killing of a tour guide, with the original murder charge being reduced through a plea deal.
Palau’s Supreme Court authorized the temporary surrender of Fang to U.S. authorities on April 12, 2024. He was extradited to Saipan on May 3, 2024, where he faces federal charges for drug trafficking. Fang is set to be sentenced by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands on April 30, 2025.
Fang’s criminal activities extended beyond Palau. Prosecutors detailed that Fang entered Saipan in 2016 on a tourist visa and remained illegally after it expired. He initially operated an unregistered business catering to Chinese mothers seeking U.S. citizenship for their newborns. Over time, he developed an extensive drug trafficking network in the CNMI.
In 2023, while a fugitive wanted for theft, drug trafficking, and illegal possession charges, Fang was smuggled by boat to Guam to avoid arrest. From there, he continued coordinating methamphetamine shipments to Saipan. In November 2023, he traveled from Macau to Palau, where he was later implicated in the tour guide’s death.
The severity of Fang’s crimes, including his evasion of law enforcement and leadership role in a large-scale drug operation, led prosecutors to argue for the maximum punishment. Defense attorney Joey P. San Nicolas has instead recommended a 10-year sentence, arguing that Fang was not a leader or organizer in a criminal enterprise.
Fang’s CNMI Superior Court case was dismissed to allow for what prosecutors called an “all-encompassing federal sentence.” His charges stem from an investigation that included the seizure of nearly 10 pounds of liquid methamphetamine, hidden inside lava lamps, at the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa in September 2023. (By: L.N. Reklai)