JUDGE TELLS CANADIANS TO SPREAD WORD ABOUT HARSH U.S. PENALTIES

SEATTLE -- A federal judge who sentenced five Indians from Canada for
marijuana-smuggling advised them to spread the word back home about
harsh U.S. penalties.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez sentenced the five First
Nation members Friday to six months in prison and two years of
probation for their roles in the smuggling scheme.

They were arrested at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing at Sumas on
Oct. 30, riding in vans that each carried about 80 pounds of
marijuana. By traveling in a large group, with a treaty right to
unrestricted travel between the two countries, they hoped to disguise
their purpose, prosecutors said.

Martinez rejected a defense request for a sentence of probation,
saying he wanted to send a message to others who might be tempted to
serve as "mules" for drug smugglers.

"I want every other First Nation member in Canada, and I want every
other Canadian, to understand that the sentencing laws of the United
States are very, very harsh," he said.

Sentenced were Abraham Charles Sheena, 54 , of Merrit, British
Columbia, a member of the Upper Nicola Band; Fayve Quilt, 32, and
Dide Quilt, 23, both of Hanceville, British Columbia, and members of
the Stone Band; Joanne Rosette, 27, of Alkali Lake, British Columbia,
a member of the Shuswap Band; and Ranger Oppenheim, 38, of Merritt, a
member of the Shakan Band.

As he sentenced Oppenheim, Martinez said: "Tell your young people how
they can get themselves caught so easily in something they have no
idea what the consequences will be."