After handing down Pelisamen’s five-year jail term on Friday for illegal use of estate funds, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex Munson told the Marshals to place the defendant on suicide watch.
The Federal Probation Office earlier informed the court that Pelisamen had said that he would kill himself if brought to jail.
The Marshals took Pelisamen into their custody after the sentencing hearing.
Pelisamen is now being booked for a federal prison.
He was represented by attorney Douglas Cushnie while Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Schuler prosecuted the case.
The court ordered Pelisamen to pay $625,775 in restitution to the Rita Kaipat estate.
Pelisamen was also ordered to immediately pay $500 in court assessment fee.
After serving his jail term, Pelisamen will be put under three years supervised release. He also must complete 100 hours of community work.
In June 2009, Pelisamen was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering.
