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Court docket includes drug charges and PPDs

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of selling hand rolled marijuana cigarettes to two men last year has entered into a plea agreement. Faamanu Alesana, 32, of Tafuna appeared in court last week for a pretrial conference but pled out instead.

Alesana, a farmer, was initially charged with unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute; and unlawful possession of marijuana. But under a plea agreement with the government, accepted by the court, Alesana pled guilty to a lesser, amended charge, a class D felony punishable by up to 5 years in jail, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

Alesana admits that on Nov. 14, 2018 in Tafuna, he sold 8 hand rolled marijuana joints - for $10 a piece - to two men he claims are his regular customers.

The case was reported to police by a woman who found 3 joints inside her husband’s pocket. A verbal argument erupted between the couple, and it ended with the woman telling police that Alesana is her husband’s cousin, and he’s been selling drugs in the village for years - but nobody has reported it to police out of fear of Alesana and his family.

A search of Alesana’s home and plantation was carried out, where police found drugs, firearms, and drug paraphernalia.

Alesana, who is out on a $5,000 surety bond, will be sentenced Nov. 29th.

FITI SALESA

A man who was arrested for disturbing the public peace and later found to be in possession of drugs has entered into a plea agreement with the government.

Fiti Salesa appeared in court this week for a pretrial conference.

He was initially charged with unlawful possession of a marijuana, a felony, and two misdemeanors: third degree assault and public peace disturbance.  But under a plea agreement, accepted by the court, Salesa pled guilty to the amended, lesser charge of unlawful possession of marijuana, a class D felony that carries a sentence of up to 5 years in jail, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

Salesa, set to be sentenced Nov. 28th, admits that on the evening of Oct. 21, 2018 at his home in Nuuuli, he had on him two hand rolled marijuana joints when police arrested him for disturbing the public peace.

According to terms of the plea agreement, when cops arrived at the scene, Salesa was yelling profanities at his neighbor, with a beer bottle in hand. During a body search, police found two hand rolled marijuana cigarettes on him. Salesa admitted that the joints belonged to him, and he bought them from a man named “DAYS” in Pago Pago.

SALEVAO ETEMANI

Salevao Etemani, a probationer convicted of public peace disturbance, has been sentenced to 10 days in jail.

“This is how things work out in this courtroom,” said District Court Judge Elvis P. Patea. “Once you violate a condition of your probation, we’re no longer talking about counseling; we’re talking about jail terms, and that’s what you get for disobeying the court’s order.”

“So, if you want to try the court again, go ahead because your next conviction will be higher than this one,” Judge Patea warned.

Etemani was placed on probation for 6 months following a public peace disturbance conviction at the beginning of this year. One of the many conditions of probation required him to maintain the peace with his girlfriend and remain law abiding.

However, Etemani - while on probation - was re-arrested and charged for yet another public peace disturbance, for which he was convicted yesterday. He will have to spend 5 weekends at the TCF to fulfill his 10-day detention sentence.

Etemani apologized to the court for his actions and begged for one more chance so he can continue his care for his parents and his family. He told the court he has learned his lesson, that breaking the law is not a good thing, and prison