Case 2:98-cr-00119-SVW Document 150-8

Filed 08/21/08 Page 1 of 5 Page ID #:356

RANJIT CHEEMA
August 21, 2008

Stephen V. Wilson United States District Judge United States District Court 312 North Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

Your Honor, I came to Canada with my family in October of 1978, at the age of 10 from England, after emigrating there from India. The following year, my mother started taking me to the farms to pick berries as a laborer. I did this from the ages of 10 to 15, every summer break. I worked a janitorial job at night for a few hours while going to high school. I grew up in a lower class family, financially. My father was an alcoholic throughout my growing up. He was hard working and never missed a day of work in his life. When he drank on weekends, he was violent and abusive toward the family. I always held in high esteem the things that money will bring you. Thats why I have worked hard did all sorts of jobs growing up to achieve my goals to have better life. I graduated from high school in 1986. I then took a security course, and did security work for ten months before starting college.
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Case 2:98-cr-00119-SVW Document 150-8

Filed 08/21/08 Page 2 of 5 Page ID #:357

Hon Stephen V. Wilson

In college, I enrolled in the criminal justice program to get into law enforcement. Later, to earn extra money, I worked as a bouncer at night clubs on weekends. In 1995, I bought a highway truck and bought in with a company that had long haul work. However, in August of that same year, I was shot multiple times at a club, and almost died. I was in a coma for a six weeks. During such time, my mother was sick in the hospital, suffering from Hepatitis. Prior to this incident, I was a body builder, weighing 248 pounds. As a result of the shooting, and my lengthy hospital stay, I lost over 100 pounds. My recovery was very difficult; I am still living with the complications of the shooting to this day. Following my release from the hospital, I fell into a deep depression, suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. I started self-medicating by drinking and using cocaine. I started hanging around the wrong kind of people who were into that life-style. At that time, I was at the lowest point of my life and in a downward spiral. It was around this time that I got into doing a deal with the Pakistanis (Amir Bajwa and Mr. Yusof Khan). I got into this deal to make quick money to support my drug habit and affluent life-style. This was the life I led.
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Case 2:98-cr-00119-SVW Document 150-8

Filed 08/21/08 Page 3 of 5 Page ID #:358

Hon. Stephen V. Wilson

In 1998, I was arrested on the charges that bring me before you. This was a rude awakening for me. Later that same year, I was placed on home confinement. I was immediately humbled by the public humiliation of being arrested and incarcerated. I experienced great personal losses as a result. I lost my house, my trucking business and my reputation in the trucking industry and I lost the respect of my community. I put my wife and my family through great grief and embarrassment, especially my parents in their golden years. I became financially indebted to my family for my legal fees. Lots of family and friends stopped talking to me and my family. Everyone in our community knew about my situation and they wanted nothing to do with my family. The East Indian community is very tightly knit in Vancouver. The conditions my home confinement were strict and restrictive. In 1999, I leased two tow trucks and started working with a company that had a city contract. I had a driver on the trucks and I tried to manage the business. After two years, my biggest fear was realised. The company found out about my charges and asked me to leave. I ended up losing the trucks because there was not enough work elsewhere.
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Case 2:98-cr-00119-SVW Document 150-8

Filed 08/21/08 Page 4 of 5 Page ID #:359

Hon. Stephen V. Wilson

In 2002, I married my wife Angela, who I met in 1997. She has been there for me through the whole ordeal. She and my family have supportive at every step of my rehabilitation. They helped me get off and stay off drugs and alcohol. They have kept me focused daily on staying on the right path in life over the past eleven years. Thanks to them, I am a completely different person than I was in 1997-8. In 2004, we had our daughter, Raya. My daughter has become yet another reason that my return to my former life is impossible. I carry Rayas picture with me to have a constant reminder of what I would lose if I ever returned to my former lifestyle. When my wife returned to work, I became a stay-at-home dad, and I had time to bond with my daughter. I also took advantage of the time to reacquaint myself with my religion and become closer to God. After having my daughter, I have come to realize what parenthood is all about and I cannot imagine her using drugs or being involved in the life I had led. I also came to realize what I had put my parents through and what my conducta drug dealcould have done to the lives of others, to the children of others. I have grown a great deal from this eleven year journey. I have lost everything; my freedom, my entire fortune (such as it was), including my house.
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Case 2:98-cr-00119-SVW Document 150-8

Filed 08/21/08 Page 5 of 5 Page ID #:360

Stephen V. Wilson

I lost the respect of my community, including long time friends and family. At the same time, I have regained what matters most - a life of which I can be proud, supported by those I care about most. I have rehabilitated my life to the best of my ability. With my familys continued support and guidance, I will never return to my old life. I ask you to consider where I was when this ordeal began and where I am now, and recognize the person I have remade myself into. I ask you to understand the extent to which I have already been punished through home detention, actual detention and having a life in limbo for eleven years. I ask you to return me to my family and my life. Thank you for your consideration Your Honor.

Ranjit Singh Cheema