China deports Houston woman accused of spying

HOUSTON – Sandy Phan-Gillis, of Houston, was deported from China by Chinese authorities on Friday, according to reports.

She had been detained for over two years in China, where she had been accused of being a spy for the U.S. government.

Phan-Gillis was tried on April 25 in the Nanning Intermediate People’s Court in Nanning, China.

She was convicted in a trial that lasted just a few hours, and her sentence was 3.5 years imprisonment and deportation.

This was a closed trial that U.S. officials, the media and even Sandy’s family were barred from attending.

On Friday, she was deported from the Chinese city of Guangzhou and arrived in Los Angeles the same day.

According to the release, "Sandy is overjoyed to be reunited with friends and family, and sends out her thanks to the many people who worked tirelessly for her release. Many of Sandy’s friends and family members have been crying tears of joy throughout the day."