Smuggler receives 46-month sentence
The San Pedro man also will have to pay a fine of $60,000 for his role in a human-trafficking operation.
By Matt Krasnowski and Alison Hewitt
Copley News Service
A San Pedro man who took part in a human-trafficking operation that was cracked nearly two years ago when officials intercepted a yacht in Los Angeles Harbor crammed with 50 illegal immigrants was sentenced Monday to 46 months in prison and fined $60,000.
Craig Lightner, 41, admitted taking part in the smuggling of Mexican citizens in August 2004 and on four other occasions, court papers state. He also pleaded guilty to smuggling protected angelfish from Mexico and was under investigation for trafficking marijuana and cocaine but never charged.
With his wife and father looking on at his sentencing hearing, Lightner apologized to U.S. District Judge Gary Feess.
"I'm sorry for my actions that have brought me to this court," Lightner said. "This situation has truly taught me a lesson, and I will never commit a crime again."
In determining Lightner's sentence, Feess noted that Lightner has an extensive criminal history, but the judge did not take into account all of his "brushes with the law."
"One could argue that the criminal history might even be understated, but I'm not taking that position," Feess said.
Outside of court, Lightner's lawyer, Daniel Thorr Hustwit, called the sentence "a fair resolution of the case."
Lightner was the third person charged in connection with the Aug. 30, 2004, interception of a 44-foot yacht packed with immigrants -- the largest incident of maritime immigrant smuggling the region had seen in many years, officials said. The boat was designed to sleep eight people.
Gregory LaBono, 50, of Lomita, and Vernon Eugene Siegel, 23, of Florida, were initially charged after U.S. Coast Guard officials boarded the C'est La Vie near Angels Gate in the harbor.
At the time of the arrests, officials vowed to open an aggressive investigation. The immigrants reportedly told officials that they paid $3,000 each in smuggling fees.
Investigators eventually turned their attention to Lightner, who runs an exotic fish company, and he pleaded guilty last year. In his plea agreement, he acknowledged directing LaBono and others in an Aug. 18 smuggling of 20 immigrants from Ensenada on a 47-foot yacht called Soul Mates and the Aug. 30 trip on the C'est La Vie. The agreement also said he and others were involved in the smuggling of at least five loads of illegal immigrants from Mexico into the United States.
The agreement states that Lightner and others would drive a van to Mexico through the San Ysidro crossing and gather prospective immigrants in Tijuana.
Later Lightner would drive the immigrants to the docks in Ensenada, where they would board a boat piloted by LaBono.
LaBono would sail to the Cabrillo Marina, and Lightner would instruct him where to dock, according to the agreement. Then Lightner and others would unload the immigrants and transport them from the port.
In the fish case, Lightner pleaded guilty last year to one count of smuggling 160 Clarion angelfish, worth an estimated $360,000, from Mexico. He admitted arranging for the collection of the bright orange fish from Mexican waters without government permits and then shipping the fish to Los Angeles International Airport while trying to hide the contents from authorities.
In a civil lawsuit seeking the forfeiture of vehicles and cash from Lightner, officials alleged that Lightner "headed a drug trafficking organization selling large quantities of cocaine and marijuana" and was arrested but released a short time after Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched his house.
That search turned up 17 large duffel bags that lab tests verified contained marijuana residue, the lawsuit states.
No criminal charges were filed against Lightner in that investigation.
Lightner has been in custody since October 2004, when he was jailed for a probation violation on a state charge.
He was charged by federal prosecutors with fish smuggling in January 2005 and with immigrant smuggling in August. His sentence on Monday includes both federal charges.
How much of the 46-month sentence he still has left to serve depends on the how the U.S. Bureau of Prisons credits him for time he has already spent behind bars.
Defense attorney Hustwit said it could date back to January 2005, when Lightner was charged with fish smuggling.
Prosecutors say it could date back to March 2005, when he was moved to federal lockup.
Once he is released from prison, Lightner will serve three years of supervised release.
He was fined $30,000 for the immigrant smuggling scheme and $30,000 for the fish smuggling.
Today is Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Originally published Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Updated Monday, June 12, 2006
