Kelvin Fitial gets 7-day sentence for beating up businessman

Mixed martial arts fighter Kelvin David Fitial was sentenced yesterday to seven days in prison for beating up a businessman in Garapan last year.

Fitial, 27, known as “The Big Hit,” pleaded guilty to assault and battery as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to a year in prison, all suspended except for seven days, with credit for the four days he had already spent in jail. He will begin serving the remaining three days of his sentence on Monday.

Superior Court associate judge Kenneth L. Govendo admonished Fitial to learn his lesson from this incident. “Keep your fighting in the ring. Keep it in the cage or in the octagon. Not outside,” he told Fitial.

Govendo told Fitial that he was originally charged with aggravated assault and battery because of his background as a professional mixed martial arts fighter. If Fitial violates his probation conditions, he will face one year in prison minus the seven days, plus a new charge, the judge added.

Govendo guaranteed that if Fitial returns to his courtroom for a new crime, Fitial will get the maximum sentence.

Fitial will be placed on one year of supervised probation. He was also required to pay a $500 fine, plus court assessment fee and probation fee. He was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service and write a letter of apology to the victim, Scot Thompson.

Fitial was also ordered to undergo anger management counseling at the Community Guidance Center and to stay away from and not threaten Thomson.

Fitial appeared with his counsel, Edward Arriola Sr.; assistant attorney general Eileen Escudero-Wisor appeared for the government.

Detective Jackson Jack stated in his report that Thompson had gone to the Department of Public Safety on Feb. 12, 2010, to report that Fitial beat him up along Beach Road near The Flair Bar, a nightclub in Garapan.

Thompson told police that Fitial punched him several times for no reason. Thompson, one of the owners of Dental Care Clinic, reportedly sustained a black eye.

Police said that Thompson was about to leave in a car with a friend when Fitial passed by in another vehicle and shouted at them.

Fitial, who smelled of alcohol, got out from his car, approached Thompson and his companion, who were already in their vehicle, and cussed them.

When Thompson asked if there’s a problem, Fitial peppered him with punches in the face.