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Ayuyu wants to travel to Calif. 1st before serving his sentence
Former senator Juan M. Ayuyu has asked the federal court to allow him to travel at his own expense to San Diego, California, where his daughter lives, prior to serving his 41-month prison term.
Ayuyu, through his lawyer, Bruce Berline, also asked the court to allow him to self-surrender to the prison facility once it has been designated.
Berline said the U.S. government does not have any objection as long as Ayuyu flies through Honolulu and does not fly into any foreign countries.
Berline said the U.S. Probation has no objection and indicated that if the request is granted, it will arrange the appropriate details with the San Diego Probation Office.
The former senator was sentenced in March to 41 months in prison for his conviction in a conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The 49-year-old Ayuyu was given credit for 228 days of time served.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona allowed Ayuyu to remain at liberty while awaiting the designation of a federal prison facility where he will serve his sentence.
In Ayuyu’s request to travel, filed in court on Tuesday, Berline said his client would like to visit his daughter in San Diego prior to his incarceration. Berline said the cost of any travel to San Diego via Honolulu would be shouldered by Ayuyu’s family members.
Upon reaching San Diego, Ayuyu would surrender himself to the prison once a facility is designated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Berline said.
“By Mr. Ayuyu being allowed to travel to the designated facility on his own, he would be saving the United States substantial time and money related to custodial transportation costs,” Berline said.
Ayuyu pleaded guilty on July 22, 2013, to two charges relating to the smuggling of endangered fruit bats from Rota to Saipan.
