US wants to drop drug charges against millionaire

[Kadie]

US wants to drop drug charges against millionaire
By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

Monday, June 22, 2009

(06-22) 15:31 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Federal prosecutors cited problems with evidence Monday when they asked a judge to drop charges against a Chinese-Mexican businessman accused of importing large amounts of methamphetamines to the United States.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan lambasted prosecutors at a hearing on the request to dismiss the indictment against Zhenli Ye Gon, saying, "I'm not pleased at all with anything I've heard from the United States government."

When Ye Gon was arrested in 2007 in Wheaton, Md., authorities said they had seized more than $205 million in U.S. drug profits from his Mexico City mansion. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration called it the largest drug-related cash seizure in history.

Since then, one witness has recanted and another has refused to testify, prosecutor Paul Laymon told the judge.

Laymon insisted the "overwhelming reason" that they were asking for a dismissal was because of their relationship with the Mexican government, without elaborating in open court.

Even after a private discussion, the judge seemed unimpressed and ordered a further hearing on the case next week.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/22/national/w104632D38.DTL&tsp=1

[DJ13]

1. Corruption runs rampant throughout both governments

[lindisfarne]

2. Good for this judge; I hope s/he sticks too her guns.n /t