US pilot jailed in Singapore for breaking quarantine order

Source: AP

SINGAPORE (AP) — An American cargo pilot who admitted to “poor judgment” in breaking a quarantine order to buy medical supplies became the first foreigner imprisoned in Singapore for breaching its restrictions meant to curb the coronavirus, his lawyer said Friday.

FedEx pilot Brian Dugan Yeargan, 44, of Alaska, was sentenced to four weeks Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to leaving his hotel room for three hours to buy masks and a thermometer, defense lawyer Ronnie Tan said.

Singapore has one of the largest outbreaks in Asia, with 26,000 cases. More than 90% of those infected are foreign workers living in crowded dormitories, while the government recently began easing restrictions for the local population.

The tiny city-state has strict penalties for those who breach quarantine rules, don’t wear masks in public or fail to adhere to social distancing measures. Quarantine violators face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to 10,000 Singapore dollars ($7,000) or both.



In this May 13, 2020, photo, Brian Dugan Yeargan, wearing a face mask and sunglasses, walks outside the Singapore State Court in Singapore. The 44-year-old American pilot has been jailed for four weeks for breaching a quarantine order in Singapore. Local media reported that Brian Dugan Yeargan was sentenced by a court Wednesday, May 13 for leaving his hotel room for three hours to buy masks and a thermometer. (The Straits Times via AP)
5

Read more: https://apnews.com/dfbe1055cfdbcdeeb894b37f2f05a5b4