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Local boxing champ pleads guilty to drug possession

American Samoa High Court building
He is ordered to depart the territory immediately
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  An American Samoa heavyweight boxing champion who entered into a plea agreement with the government has been ordered by the court to depart the territory and remain outside of its borders for the duration of his probation.

Sui Fausaiga, 26, also known as Sui Palauni, appeared in High Court last week for sentencing. He was represented by Public Defender Michael White, while prosecuting the case was Assistant Attorney General Christy Dunn.

Fausaiga, who has been in custody since his arrest in August 2017, unable to post a $5,000, surety bond, was initially charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a class D felony; along with third degree assault and public peace disturbance, both class A misdemeanors.

But under a plea agreement with the government,Fausaiga pled guilty to the amended charge of unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

With his guilty plea, Fausaiga admits that on Aug. 20, 2017 he had a glass pipe containing a small quantity of meth.

Fausaiga apologized to the court and begged for another chance so he can be released from the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) to be with his family, especially his wife and two young children.

“I am truly remorseful for what I did. I have learned a good lesson in the 16 months I have been in prison, and I swear this will be my first and last time in court. Please, grant me a second chance so I can go back home to be with my family," said the defendant.

Attorneys from both parties asked the court to follow the recommendation from the Pre Sentence Report, for Fausaiga to be placed on probation for 5 years. White asked to suspend the condition of allowing his client to depart the territory, due to his illegal immigration status; however, Dunn wanted the court to order the defendant to depart the territory immediately.

Chief Justice Michael Kruse said the defendant was apprehended at the Hawks Night Club with a small amount of meth.

According to Kruse, police got a call from an unknown person who was inside the night club, saying the defendant was selling drugs inside the club to other people.

Cops entered the nightclub in search of the defendant, who was inside the bathroom. When police searched his body, a glass pipe containing meth was found on him.

Fausaiga was sentenced to 5 years in jail, but execution of the sentence is suspended and he is placed on probation for 5 years under the condition that he depart the territory immediately, and remain outside of its borders for the duration of his probation.

Kruse ordered that a copy of the court's decision be delivered to the Immigration Office to ensure the defendant’s name is on their lookout list.