SUPERIOR Court Judge Kenneth L. Govendo has sentenced Dane Jay Lisua to eight years in prison, all suspended except 18 months, for burglarizing a marijuana cultivation farm warehouse on Beach Road, Garapan last year.
Lisua, 33, was initially charged with one count of burglary and one count of theft.
On May 22, Lisua, represented by Assistant Public Defender Charlene Brown, pled guilty to theft.
In his judgment and commitment order on June 2, Judge Govendo said that Lisua was sentenced to an imprisonment term of eight years, all suspended except 18 months, but not subject to parole or early release.
The defendant was also given 54 days credit for time already served and will be released from prison on Sept. 25, 2026.
As part of his sentence, he will be placed on supervised probation for five years after serving his prison term and will be required to pay court fines and a $300 probation fee.
Lisua was also ordered to pay Cannablyss Inc. $32,500 as restitution and perform 160 hours of community work service.
His co-defendant, Joseph Lee, was also sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, all suspended except for four years, not subject to parole or early release, with credit for 140 days of time served.
Background
According to the complaint against the defendants, police received a call reporting a burglary and theft incident at Cannablyss’ marijuana cultivation farm.
The owner showed the police a cut wired fence near the warehouse, surveillance cameras that were pointed upwards, and a damaged door. Inside the warehouse, police saw a room containing marijuana trees that was disorganized and out of place.
The operator said 130 marijuana trees worth $65,000 were stolen from the warehouse.
Police reviewed surveillance camera footage from the warehouse and an adjacent apartment and saw two suspects, who were identified as Lee and Lisua based on encounters.
Police also identified a vehicle, a silver RAV-4, driving away from the backside of the warehouse, registered to BF Rent a Car in As Lito.
The person told police that he rented the car for Lee because he did not have a driver’s license.
Lisua, in a freely given statement to the police, admitted being involved in the burglary.
He said it was Lee’s idea to burglarize the warehouse.
According to Lisua, he followed Lee in the silver RAV-4 to the Cannablyss warehouse.
He said Lee parked away from the warehouse and used a knife to pry open the door facing north.
When the warehouse door was opened, Lisua said Lee told him to grab a bag, fill it up with marijuana, and take the clear glass jars containing marijuana, too, which he did.
He said Lee took most of the stolen property because he had the car with him.
