LIHU‘E — A young woman who was at the home of a suspected drug dealer when police raided the home could get five years in prison for having drugs on her. Also with Ashlee Pasion Rita, 23, at the time
LIHU‘E — A young woman who was at the home of a suspected drug dealer when police raided the home could get five years in prison for having drugs on her.
Also with Ashlee Pasion Rita, 23, at the time of the bust, were her two young children, ages 2 and 3, said county Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lauren McDowell.
In a plea agreement recently, Rita pleaded guilty to third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and had a charge of unlawful use of or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia against her dropped.
She is scheduled to be sentenced in early January 2010, when she may also face re-sentencing for several 2005 cases involving charges of forgery, credit-card fraud, credit-card theft, burglary and driving without a license.
The charge she pleaded guilty to before 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe late last month is for an incident that took place in late April 2009, McDowell said.
The drug-promotion charge is a Class C felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, with a mandatory minimum of 20 months in prison.
Rita was present at the home of a dealer of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, when Kaua‘i Police Department officers raided the home, said McDowell.
McDowell said that, in addition to having her two young children with her at the time of the bust, she also had an ice pipe on her.
Watanabe asked Rita why she was pleading guilty. “I had the pipe on my waist,” Rita said.
In court last month, a pregnant Rita, who is currently being held at the Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center, wore a white T-shirt and green pants.
State Deputy Public Defender John Calma is requesting Rita be sentenced as a first-time drug offender, and asked for a bail study to be done.
Watanabe also ordered a pre-sentencing report be prepared.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
