BRENTWOOD — A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges that he intended to sell MDMA and marijuana and possessed a gun while running his drug business.

Christiaan Jennings, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of a federal indictment of possession of marijuana and MDMA with intent to distribute, and to a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime.

The deal essentially leaves it to a judge to decide on a sentence for Jennings, who police say had roughly 3.4 pounds of marijuana between his car and his home, and 63 small bags of MDMA or Ecstasy in powder form.

Sentencing in the case has been set for Nov. 16.

The federal case is one of two sets of charges pending against Jennings. He also is expected to enter a guilty plea in Rockingham County Superior Court on Aug. 21 after being indicted on nine drug-related charges. A sentencing date in that case has not been set.

Both cases arose out of Jennings being pulled over by Portsmouth police on Jan. 2 on Lafayette Road about 12:45 a.m., after he swerved his Toyota Corolla over the double yellow line while driving north, according to prosecutors.

Police said they smelled marijuana. Jennings told police he had a concealed weapons permit. Police asked him to step out of the car.

Police reported Jennings “exhibited slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, droopy eyelids and other signs of being under the influence,” after getting out of his car, prosecutors said in a court motion.

Police found a .38-caliber handgun in Jennings' waistband, and arrested him shortly afterward. A search of his car yielded roughly $42,000 in cash, which was later forfeited to the government as part of another court proceeding. Police also found more drugs, a drug ledger and guns in Jennings' apartment. Terms of the two sentences have not been made public.
jkimble@newstote.com