Colorado Money Launderer Gets Jail Time
The Denver Post reported on April 1, 2010 that Dan Tang, prominent owner of a Thornton Chinese restaurant, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to an 18-month prison sentence for his part in financing a marijuana growing operation.
Tang’s attorneys had recommended probation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office had recommended a sentence ranging from 11 to 30 months, which is well below the guideline of 70 to 87 months in prison for this type of offense. According to an Assistant U.S. Attorney, this sentencing concession was made because she believes Tang had a “diminished role’ in the marijuana-growing organization.
Responding to the defense request for probation, the judge said, “I just don’t understand why he shouldn’t go to jail. . . . If it means discomfort for him, so be it. If it means the [restaurant] business has to perform in different ways, that is a consequence of his criminal conduct.”
It should be noted that the growing operation probably could not have operated without Tang’s financial contribution. If this is the “diminished role” the Assistant U.S. Attorney was referring to, it is difficult to imagine what a major role would be.
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