Felon’s supervised release called off

The US District Court revoked yesterday convicted felon Marco William Selepeo Fitial’s three-year supervised release for violating terms set forth under his federal probation conditions.

District Judge Alex R. Munson sentenced the defendant to ten months imprisonment, ruling that he be remanded back to incarceration for failure to submit to a drug testing. The defendant also failed to participate in a drug abuse treatment program as he was supposed to.

Mr. Fitial is currently under local custody after his latest run-in with the law last February 2001. The 20-year-old was arrested by local police for reckless driving and several traffic infractions.

His counsel, Atty. Bruce Berline, had asked the court to minimize his client’s prison sentence from 12 to ten months, adding that Mr. Fitial’s actions may have been as a result of a psychological problem.

Mr. Berline sought the bench’s assistance in providing treatment for the defendant’s supposed mental health disorder.

In handing out the sentence, Mr. Munson stressed that it was not the court’s primary concern to punish Mr. Fitial’s but to offer him assistance for treatment.

US government prosecutor Dave Wood and the defense aired no objections to the judge’s ruling.

The defendant was convicted at one time of charges in connection with the assault of a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, whose house the defendant also burglarized.

In a more recent incident, Mr. Fitial’s was charged with traffic violations to include operating a vehicle without license, exceeding speed limit, driving on the right side of the highway, and other traffic violations.

Last February, the defendant was spotted in a white van traveling along Beach Road Susupe in swerving motions.

He was reportedly treading through the midsection marks dividing the north and south bound lanes.

Police started to follow the white vehicle in efforts to pull it over but its driver stepped on the accelerator and swiftly made a left turn into the Susupe village.

The suspect was said to be traveling at 50 miles per hour when he struck a concrete wall in what was the former Angel Market.

Mr. Fitial tried to flee the scene but to no avail. He was then taken under police custody for attempting to elude an officer, reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, minor consuming alcohol, among others.

He is also being charged for allegations of vehicle theft as the white van he drove was reported stolen from the B&R Corp. Auto Repair in San Jose.