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Crime & Courts

Chinese National Sentenced to 27 Months for Marijuana Trafficking

Wenjian Zhuo, 32, was sentenced in federal court in Syracuse for possessing 94 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 25, 2026, 1:36 p.m. ET
Developing · not yet checked for updates

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

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A Chinese national was to 27 months in prison on July 28, 2026, for possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute it, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York. The announcement was made on August 24, 2026. Wenjian Zhuo, 32, a lawful permanent resident, was convicted by a jury in February after a two-day trial in federal court in Syracuse. Evidence showed that on January 22, 2025, Zhuo drove from New York City to the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation, where his van was loaded with 94 kilograms (approximately 207 pounds) of marijuana. He was transporting the marijuana back to New York City when Border Patrol stopped him and seized the drugs. In addition to the prison term, Senior District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby ordered three years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine. The announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and DEA Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. The case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol and the DEA, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer. Following the sentence, the Department of Homeland Security will pursue action to revoke Zhuo's legal status and begin deportation proceedings, according to Sarcone.

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  1. Version 125 Aug 2026, 17:36current

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