Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man, who pled guilty to possession of marijuana under a plea agreement with the government, will be sentenced next month in High Court.

According to terms of the plea agreement, the case against Failauga Leiataua stems from an incident on Feb. 25, 2018 when the defendant went to an Asian store in Malaeimi, and ended up in a verbal argument with the storeowner who claimed that Leiataua was taking items without paying.

Police were called when the heated exchange of words escalated in front of several customers. Police arrived and the defendant was arrested for public peace disturbance.

When cops conducted a search, they found in Leiataua’s bag, a piece of paper wrapped around marijuana, and a pipe used to smoke meth. Police also found in the bag, another paper wrapped around 3 hand-rolled marijuana cigarettes.

The government charged Leiataua in two separate cases. In the first case, he was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana); and unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute — both felonies.

In the second case, he was charged with one count of felony stealing, and public peace disturbance, a class A misdemeanor.

In exchange to pleading guilty to the marijuana possession charge, all remaining charges against Leiataua are dismissed.

Furthermore, the government has agreed not to file any charges against him, in the case where he allegedly signed a $250 check from an Asian store in Malaeimi, and later cashing it at a Nuuuli store.

The government says it would argue for the defendant to repay the $250 to the store, as part of any court sentence.

Leiataua has been in custody since his arrest last year.