Feb. 15 (UPI) — A Palm Beach County, Fla., judge on Friday sentenced a Chinese national to six months in jail for resisting arrest after she was accused of trespassing at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
County Judge Mark Eissey handed down the sentence to Jing Lu two days after a jury acquitted her on trespassing charges but found her guilty of resisting arrest.
Jing was arrested Dec. 18 after she refused to leave Mar-a-Lago, where she was taking photographs. She told the court she doesn’t speak English and didn’t understand the security guards who told her to leave.
Eissey gave Jing credit for the 59 days she’s been in jail since her arrest.
Assistant State Attorney Alexandra Dorman sought a one-year sentence, saying the judge needs to send a message.
“There’s great concern for this type of [incident] happening on Mar-a-Lago property,” she said.
Jing is the second Chinese national to receive prison time for offenses related to alleged trespassing at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s part-time residence.
In November, a federal judge sentenced Yujing Zhang to eight months in prison for lying to a federal officer and entering the restricted grounds in September. Prosecutors said she misrepresented herself to initially get by Secret Service officers and staff members until a receptionist denied her access.
