US Court Sentences Yemeni National to Prison on Human Smuggling Charges; Defense Calls it “Most Absurd Sentence”

Yemen Monitor/Washington/Exclusive:

A US federal court has issued a five-year prison sentence against a Yemeni citizen for his involvement in a human smuggling and money laundering network operating from the US state of Alabama.

According to a report by Fox News 10, monitored by Yemen Monitor, “Haider Al-Muntasir” had previously pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Federal prosecutors stated that two men, who immigrated from Yemen and opened a gas station in Selma, Alabama, coordinated with international smugglers to smuggle Al-Muntasir and another man through Central America and Mexico until they reached the US border.

Prosecutors presented photos showing the defendant carrying firearms in Yemen. They also referenced Facebook posts suggesting the defendant had been selling weapons and hand grenades.

The court agreed that these circumstances warranted a harsh and enhanced sentence against the accused.

In response, defense attorney Sanford Shulman affirmed that his client has no connection to weapons. Shulman expressed shock at the severity of the sentence, noting that in his 35 years as a federal attorney, he had never encountered such an “absurd sentence” in his life, despite having defended over 4,000 clients. He emphasized that the charges included no evidence regarding weapons or drugs.

The attorney pointed out that the sentencing guidelines indicated six months, while the court issued a sentence ten times that length.

He added that Al-Muntasir will explore avenues to appeal the verdict.