New York – Island Luck cofounder Adrian Fox got no jail time as part of a plea deal yesterday.
Fox, 52, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the grossly negligent operation of a vessel, an offense that carries a maximum of one year in prison.
Prosecutors suggested a sentence of no-time to six-months in prison based on Fox’s philanthropy since committing the offence.
Judge Denise Cote sentenced Fox, who traveled to New York earlier this week, to time served.
The charge stems from an investigation into an organization that smuggled Chinese nationals into the United States through Haiti, the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas.
Fox played a minor role. He helped house the immigrants in The Bahamas and took them to the boat that would take them to Miami.
At times, the Chinese nationals were smuggled in hazardous conditions where there were more immigrations aboard than lifejackets.
Prosecutors said that from 2005 to 2008, Fox earned approximately $200,000 to $300,000 in the smuggling scheme. However, Fox quit the conspiracy voluntarily around 2008 and cooperated with authorities.
US Attorney Audrey Strauss said, “The Government agrees that the Court should consider the defendant’s withdrawal from the conspiracy, his efforts to cooperate with law enforcement, and the philanthropy he has engaged in since committing this offense under the Section 3553(a) factors. Because the Guidelines Range is 0 to 6 months’ imprisonment, a sentence within that range will appropriately account for these factors.
“For the reasons set forth above, the Government respectfully requests that the Court sentence the defendant within the Stipulated Guidelines Range of 0 to 6 months’ imprisonment, as such a sentence would be sufficient but not greater than necessary to serve the legitimate purposes of sentencing.”
