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Man convicted of pot cultivation
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Posted on Apr 28 2006
A man was convicted yesterday for cultivating 40 marijuana plants in his farm on Capitol Hill.
Jose Castro, 56, pleaded guilty to trafficking of a controlled substance.
Superior Court Associate Judge David Wiseman accepted Castro’s plea and sentenced him to two years in prison, all suspended except for nine days.
Following a plea agreement, Wiseman gave Castro credit for the nine days he had already served in jail.
Wiseman placed the defendant on two years probation and ordered him to pay $1,000 fine and $50 in court assessment fee.
The judge directed Castro to perform 300 hours of community work service during the probationary period.
The defendant is also prohibited from possessing illegal substances and possessing and consuming alcohol during the probationary period.
The Attorney General’s Office charged Castro with trafficking of a controlled substance and illegal possession of a controlled substance.
Castro and counsel Chief Public Defender Elisa A. Long signed a plea agreement with the government represented by assistant attorney general Rebecca Warfield.
The agreement stated that on April 13, 2005 on Saipan, the defendant unlawfully possessed 40 marijuana plants.
Court papers showed that on April 13, 2005, members of the Department of Public Safety’s Special Investigation Section and Drug Enforcement Administration-CNMI Task Force conducted a surveillance at Castro’s farm on Capitol Hill.
The agents observed the marijuana plants measuring about five to eight feet tall.
The agents said they saw Castro enter the farm and cut some marijuana branches. They then arrested him. (Ferdie de la Torre)
