Chinese Farmer Gets Life in Prison for Evading $530,000 in Highway Tolls
- Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:47am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese farmer has been sentenced to life in prison for avoiding highway tolls adding up to more than 3.5 million yuan ($530,000) by pretending his trucks were military vehicles.
State media reported that Shi Jianfeng was convicted of fraud for using fake military license plates and uniforms to deceive toll collectors into thinking his vehicles were military-owned, and therefore exempt from charges. In this way, he avoided paying tolls more than 2,300 times. A court in the central province of Henan sentenced Shi to jail and also fined him 2 million yuan ($302,000) on Dec. 21, the media report said this week.
The news caused an uproar among some Chinese, who argued in online postings and commentaries that shorter sentences have been given out for the more serious crimes of rape or murder.
The outcry was so loud that the Intermediate People’s Court in the city of Pingdingshan held a news conference this week to defend its decision.
A report in the People’s Daily newspaper said Shi avoided paying tolls more than 2,300 times by using fake military license plates between May 2008 and January 2009 as he ran a business transporting gravel with his two vans.
Military vehicles don’t have to pay highway tolls.
The People’s Daily report cited prosecutors in the city of Pingdingshan.
With China’s state media tightly controlled by the government, some citizens pounce on stories that they feel illustrate injustice.
In this case, their complaints strayed beyond Shi’s case to popular complaints that highway toll fees are too high, especially for a farmer.
One legal expert said the severity of the sentence in Shi’s case comes from the fact that he faked military items, including uniforms.
“Based on the explanation, the court certainly can hand down such a sentence,” Qu Xinjiu, a law professor at China University of Political Sciences and Law, was quoted as saying by the English-language Global Times newspaper this week.
Other legals experts told state media they did not expect Shi would be able to pay his large fine.
The life sentence does not mean that Shi will be in jail for the rest of his life because jail terms in China are often shortened for good behavior.
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texasderek
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 1:10pmI think the title of this story is somewhat misleading…like poor poor silly farmer…
Report Post »To me this is not so much about fraud as it is about a nations right to control who can form military convoys… How much time do you think someone would get in the USA for impersonating a military convoy over 2000 times ? With the terrorism laws what they are today I think they would probably be facing life also. Seems fitting to me. A hard lesson learned though.
legomine
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 6:16amI can see this happening in NY. Toll booths there were supposed to be removed years ago. I had an outstanding ticket from one that I had to pay ASAP or lose my license. I missed a toll booth. Stopped at the side of the road and went back to the office to pay. They refused, and said I would get a bill in the mail. My .50 miss cost me $50.00. Stupid and corrupt system, glad I no longer have to go to NY.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:59pmUS citizens are really that bad – many of them – some that aren‘t in jail who should be and some who are and shouldn’t be. but the numbers also do not take in the number of illegals in jail, not for being illegal in this country, but for committing crimes in this country. and again – instead of going by numbers, let’s go by percentage – and then try and tell me how many people are in gulags in the old Soviet Union, or wherever they send them in China under the communist government. Then let’s talk about just “political” prisoners – those that pee off the powers that be – not that have actually committed fraud, robbed banks, etc. many of our ‘inmates’ and parolees are drug related with almost no other “serious” crime to their name.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:53pmBeckIsNuts Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:14am
Yes, everyone should read what was said in 1958 and 78 at the John Birch Society meeting by Robert Welch: http://www.wimp.com/robertwelch/
Report Post »firstlast
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 2:07pmU.S. Prison Population is the Largest on Earth
Report Post »Mar 10, 2009
In the U.S. “1 in every 31 adult persons is either in jail or prison or on parole or probation. That amounts to 7.3 million Americans and a cost that exceeds $68 billion annually. This figure does not include juveniles accountable to the U.S. correction system…The total number of U.S. citizens accountable to the American correction system is the highest in the world. It even exceeds the combined Soviet Union and China prison population during the height of their dominate Communist Regime. Are American citizens really that bad?”
jagr1850
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 12:54pmthose chinesee are always rewarding their citizens…..atleast they didn’t just shoot the guy for forgeting to pay a toll…
Report Post »Liberty7
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 12:36pmWow. I guess he should be glad they didn’t execute him with a pistol shot in the back of the head and then send an invoice to his family for the cost of the bullet.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:53amYou know, that communist regime may just go the way of all the others. With that many people’, a small crack could develop and break the whole thing down. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? A democratic China as an ally?
Report Post »Marrabella
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:53amHalf a million? Sheesh!
Report Post »No wonder it’s difficult to “make it” in China.
Americans are wealthy because we are free ….. Not because we are greedy pigs.
Look at starving third world countries and you will usually see a dictator thug raping the resources and labor of the people.
I hope Americans wake up and reject Obama’s skewed world view.
We are the last bastion of freedom on the planet.
sWampy
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:21amWith 50% of the population not working and living on the dole, rich democrats not paying a penny in taxes ever, how long do you think it is going to be before it takes guns to force the middle class to pay for these entitlement programs.
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:50amHey, wait a minute… I admit it’s a creative evasion, but how far, or lightly do you think the Homeland Security would take it if you had trucks set up like US military vehicles (complete with fake plates) and fake uniforms and were using them for transport in this country? Impersonating the military in any country is serious stuff. For that many times, the law of averages or Murphy’s law, says you’re going to get caught sometime.
Report Post »historypaper
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:36amAll Chinese farmers are in jail, it’s called forced labor, communism. Now the term is state-capitalism that Obama wants in America. It’s the goverment telling you where to work and what to build or service. Ask General Motors about free enterprise which is now owned in part by the Chinese communist government.
Report Post »Pat Alexander
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:32amHe’s lucky.
50 years ago, they would have shot him.
Report Post »jdog777
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:23amhmmmm…. I thought China was a communist nation. Why do they have tolls?
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:20amScott, why did The Blaze hack into my account here and post this scolding of Blazers under my forum name?
beckisnuts
Posted on January 13, 2011 at 3:10pm
Don’t you all just *love* me? I just love how you all respond to my foolish posts! You all seem to can’t get enough of me, can you?
What kind of an UNETHICAL web site are you turning The Blaze into SCOTT?
Willie Stoker
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:56amIt’s amazing to what level a rabid liberal will stoop to attempt to demean a conservative. We are not stupid here, we know that you posted that, and your account wasn’t hacked. That kind of deception only works on people that ascribe to your same ideology, you would do much better over at a site like the DailyKos or some liberal gutter.
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:23amWillie, you are wrong and others know this as well. I did not post that garbage and that’s a fact. Whether or not you believe it has no impact on that reality. You’re also wrong about my political leanings, as others here will attest to. Two strikes so far Willie.
BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:17amGlenn is working so hard to publicize the lame threats of a tiny handful of crackpots on the fringe left. Thanks Glenn. Keep giving these wack jobs publicity. Most people would never hear of these groups if it wasn’t for idiots like Glenn Beck. Talking them up into bigger threats than they are is just as ridiculous as Glenn’s red phone gimmick. BEWARE OF BECK’S INFLAMMATORY BS.
BuckOfama
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:24amBecksnuts, suck my taint, just suck it.
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:34amThanks for showing what kind of person you are Buckofama. It always gives me a boost when my opponents here show themselves to be such low lifes. Off you go BucKo.
firstlast
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 2:16pmDont worry BECKISNUTS, progressive radio outlets are now using comments and screen names right off the Blaze to prove “toxic rhetoric”. Their words will and are being used against them. I heard death threats against Frances Fox taken right off this site with screen names as reference and then pointing out that this woman’s address is posted on The Blaze as well.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:13amThis is a harsh sentence, especially if they have any hope of being paid back by the toll breaker. I would rather see the sex offenders and violent crime participants locked away for life.
Report Post »Sandy
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:07amAnd these lefty supporters are supporting this communist type government. Just wait!
Report Post »firstlast
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 2:20pm“tough-on-crime” is a Republican supported initiative which over the last 30 years has landed the U.S. with highest prison population in the WORLD…much higher than China. Progressive are the people you condemn for trying to get non-violent offenders out of prison
Report Post »KEA
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:05amA taste of what is coming here.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:22amThat kind of power in government is scary and this is just what Cass Sustein has in store for the U.S.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
firstlast
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 2:12pmIts already here. Its started in the 80s with “tough-on-crime“ and ”war-on-drugs”. Now we can boast the highest prison population in the WORLD (oh, much higher than China)…and dont blame Obama; this was Reagan’s brainchild.
Report Post »Hispanic-Soldier-American
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:54amYeah I spose he could’ve been charged for espionage, knowing the chinese government. Faking stuff like that is not taken lightly. Especially since the chinese don’t play. Also, it is an embaressment lol man try that ish here and see how far you get.
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:51amComing soon to a state near you.
Report Post »MJDalton
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 8:56amIf you comit a crime against another their Gov. doesn’t really care. But mess with their money and it’s over for you. Its called collectivism, you can’t choose not to play along.
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:05amGuess what stealing trillions in taxpayer dollars gets you in the USA? A seat in the US government making hundreds of thousands a year plus full benefits!
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:10amNonsense. We still have a form of government where our Constitution and elected representatives protect us from the injustices that the Chinese suffer under communist control and it will continue on into the future in spite of Glenneth’s dire predictions.
GeauxAlready
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:11amLucky they did not just shoot him in the head…………………..
Report Post »912828Buckeye
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:12am530,000/2300=230 a trip? Pretty steep. But if he pays the 302,000 fine out of his 530,000 savings maybe he will get out early and still have 228,000 to live on.
Report Post »guyperram
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:12amAnybody heard of the IRS. Guess what they do, collect through fear and intimidation. That’s the way it works folks.
Report Post »BeckIsNuts
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:14amLOL! There’s Glenn banging the drum and pounding the panic button about obscure fringe leftist groups. The lates is some small collection of crackpots in San Francisco. Now Glenn says we have a COMING INSURRECTION heading our way! More crackpot Bircher talk from the great fear monger Glenn Beck. The guy never stops with his incendiary rhetoric.
tower7femacamp
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:24amyes
Judge says government need not disclose air traveler security images
Washington (CNN) — A federal judge in Washington has ruled the Department of Homeland Security can keep from public view 2,000 “whole-body” images taken to test the machines used to screen travelers at airport checkpoints.
The decision is a setback for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which had sued the government for release of material to determine how the technology would impact privacy and civil liberty concerns.
But Judge Ricardo Urbina, in a 15-page opinion issued Wednesday, said the Homeland Security Department has no obligation under the Freedom of Information Act to disclose the images or related training materials.
The images were created to give officials at the Transportation Security Administration an idea of the effectiveness of its detection technology. Government lawyers had argued release of the material was exempt from Freedom of Information Act since release “would constitute a threat of transportation security” that might highlight vulnerabilities of the body-scanning’s effectiveness.
Urbina agreed, saying the government had made a “reasonable conclusion that disclosure of the images may provide terrorists and others with increased abilities to circumvent detection by TSA and carry threatening contraband” onto an airplane.”
The government agencies had already disclosed nearly 1,800 pages of documents as part of the litigation. The images themselves contained “various threat objects dispersed over the bodies,” according to federal officials, and were used to test how well the screening machines worked. Various private companies have contracted with the Transportation Security Administration to provide the technology.
DHS told CNN the images in question were taken during various stages of testing the technology. The machines used in airports cannot store images
I bet…..
Report Post »http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/01/12/airport.scanner.images/
chazman
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:27amHa, ha! Stupid chinese communist farmer! Ha, Ha!!! What a maroon!
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:32amFor whom does the bell toll??……it tolls for thee!!!! (unless you have 3.5 million yuan, comrade farmer!). NEXT case………..
Report Post »logicjack
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:59amHave to say to tower , that you are absolutly correct. Why no-one has ever brought up the fact that if it is one a computer screen a zip drive can have software on it and do a screen capture quite simple actually.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:13am@Tower7
Agreed. Chilling to think of what our government is now able to totally get away with; along with any one else who wishes to use the information, no matter how it is obtained, for other purposes. Imagine if the pictures taken this way of the scanners, say of a famous models, suddenly is sold to a scandal magazines or such for profit, or for political reasons.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:16amWe‘d better get Tariff’s on China (that alone would pay down the bonds!)…RESTART MANUFACTURING OF “MADE IN AMERICA”…that would get CHINA OUT OF OUR POLICIES…Oh yeah, get oil from Mexico to pay us back for all their illegals we’ve supported and educated…get OIL from IRAQ (of course Bush said that’s what we were GOING TO DO as repayment for their LIBERATION from Sadam)…I could go on and on and on and on…if we don’t take charge America and TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES by FOCUSING ON WHAT IS GOOD FOR AMERICA (imagine that concept, huh?) THIS scenario IS coming to a Country NEAR YOU & ME! But don’t worry, Obama and his ilk ARE busy making certain that, “We are the world…we are the children…” (you know the song…just sing along America)…
Report Post »TEIN
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:51amHey NUTS…Go read the UN agenda from oh…1980 on…see how off Glen is…do a little history and she how the Soviets became Communist…see what took place…trends and such…read what the communist party agenda is for USA…then come back tell all how off base Glen is….I have been trying to piece this thing together for close to 20 years and I am glad, so glad that someone like Glen and his team has done it….He might be passionate in speaking, and change of courses can affect the outcome, but what is planned and what he is talking about has been around for years. Under this radical Pres. and the past 4 year of Congress, these group have become very bold and are trying to implement these agenda’s…..And do not think that what is happening is China cannot and will not happen here…you might start seeing tolls to pay for the debt the USA owes China..
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:05amMoney crimes are quickly becoming the new high crime of the century. Forget about rape and murder. These crimes that involve money have been moved to the top of the list for strict sentences. Look at Madoff. Nobody murdered or raped but he’s going to spend the rest of his days in prison while real killers and rapists get lighter sentences and in some case commuted sentences. Money is the God of out time and it’s precepts will be honored and upheld.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:09amIf we continue unabated on the same track we are on, I can see a day when money crimes, defaults, bankruptcy, tax cheats, toll road, vehicle fees enforced by jail time as well. We will no longer tolerate a society built on trust to repay debts without having teeth to enforce these common walk away debts. We will see this day come to pass and a return to debtors prisons. Somebody has got to pay and pay they shall with blood sweat and tears….in jail!
Report Post »rbqueen
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 2:40pm@ beckisnuts – you are correct about us having a Constitution to help protect us from “the injustices that the Chinese suffer under communist control”. However, since most of the liberal progressive elected officials that are running under the Democrat name could be seen as doing to us the exact type of things that these Chinese Commies are doing to their people. And I find it interesting that you would say anything against the very people that do these things. Are you starting to change a little bit and starting to feel a little bit more like a defender of freedom and individual rights? If not, be careful about saying things against the very people that you normally defend because if they find out, they might do things to you that you wouldn’t believe (and none of them good).
Report Post »*************************
Posted on January 14, 2011 at 5:40pmCompletely understandable, too. They can’t let those communist-China slaves not pay the protection money.
Anyone who agrees that the communist Chinese thugs can run their turf any way they like … must’ve voted for marxist Barack Hussein Obama. Enjoy your “Change”.
LILI Von SHTUPP: “Will I … see you again?”
Report Post »sheriff BART: “Well, it all depends on how much vitamin E I can get my hands on.”
-Blazing Saddles
lionslayer44
Posted on January 15, 2011 at 12:34amwho hauls gravel in a van? a little steep for a fraud charge. with the obamacrats this will be coming here soon comrade.
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