14 Oct 2011

Military retiree in American Samoa gets suspended jail sentence

4:13 pm on 14 October 2011

A US military retiree has been sentenced to probation by the High Court of American Samoa.

Fiso Falaniko pleaded guilty in August to unlawful possession of marijuana, a crime punishable by a term of up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to 5,000 US dollars or both.

Falaniko was accused of having at his home in Iliili two branches of marijuana, when his home was raided by police in May.

The Chief Justice Michael Kruse has given him a five-year suspended prison sentence.

He has warned him that any violation of the probation will have him spend five years in jail.