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Pavaiai man will be sentenced next month for marijuana possession

Just say no to marijuana
ausage@samoanews.com

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

Avei Ilalio appeared in court this week for a pretrial conference; however, when his case was called, defense attorney Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill informed the court that they have reached an agreement with the government.

Ilalio was initially charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), a felony, and two misdemeanor charges: third degree assault and public peace disturbance.

Under a plea agreement with the government, also accepted by the court, Ilalio 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.

ilalio admits that on the evening of July 23, 2018 at his home in Pavaiai, 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 responded to a peace disturbance matter in Pavaiai around 10:39 p.m on Friday, July 23, 2018. Ilalio was present and was yelling profanities at his neighbor while holding a beer bottle in his right hand.

Ilalio was apprehended at the scene and transported to the DPS Tafuna Substation for questioning.

During a body search, police discovered two hand rolled marijuana cigarettes. The defendant told police that the joints belonged to him, and he bought them from a man by the name of “Deuce” in Vaitogi.

Ilalio will be sentenced Aug. 2, 2019.