Daily News Wire Services

Posted: 06/13/2011 11:16:16 AM PDT

Updated: 06/13/2011 11:16:57 AM PDT

http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18263796?nclick_check=1

SANTA ANA -- A Fullerton pastor who used his religious university as a front to sell student visas was sentenced today to a year in prison and another year in home confinement.

Samuel Chai Cho Oh, 66, of Garden Grove, pleaded guilty Jan. 13 in federal court in Santa Ana to 10 counts of immigration visa fraud and two counts of money laundering.

U.S. District Judge James Selna also approved terms of the plea agreement that had Oh turn over his "university," valued at $3.8 million, and two bank accounts containing $418,000 to the federal government.

Oh told Selna, via a translator, that he felt "deep remorse" for what he had done.

"I am deeply embarrassed for my wrongdoing and I feel deeply remorseful," Oh said. "I'd like you to know this case is a big chapter in my life that I deeply regret and wish I could undo."

Oh told the judge that he would like to return to his missionary work as soon as possible.

"If possible, I'd like to be there for my family, friends, community and church," he said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Keenan sought a two-year prison term for Oh, who will be put on three years of supervised release once he is out of custody.

Oh is pastor of the Union Church on the university's campus at 905 S. Euclid St. The university was largely bogus, with some of the classrooms being subleased to other educational institutions, Keenan said after today's sentencing.

About 330 "students" were enrolled at the time of Oh's arrest in December

2009, according to the prosecutor, who said they hailed from about 20 countries but mostly from South Korea.

They would pay Oh anywhere from $600 to $10,000 for help in obtaining student visas so they could stay in the country, but they didn't attend any classes, Keenan said.

Oh, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is a Presbyterian minister.