British rock star John McVie and his wife, Julie Ann, both pleaded guilty Monday to cocaine and firearms charges.
Police arrested McVie, a member of Fleetwood Mac, and his wife after 4.5 grams of cocaine and unregistered firearms were found in their Napili home in December.
McVie and his wife were each fined $500 and ordered to each donate an additional $500 to Aloha House, a rehabilitation facility on Maui.
Circuit Court Judge Kase Higa also placed the couple on a year’s probation but deferred acceptance of their guilty pleas, meaning the convictions will be wiped from their records after a year if they do not break the law again.
McVie, 35, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges of possession of unregistered firearms. His wife admitted to receiving the cocaine and also pleaded guilty to a charge of hindering prosecution.
“I realize now that my long-time friend who sent the package (of cocaine) to me did wrong and I should have refused it,” Mrs. McVie told Higa. “It was not worth it.”
McVie told Higa that, if he had known the requirement for registering firearms, he would have complied with the law.
United Press International / March 9, 1981
Guns, cocaine found in McVies’ Maui home
WAILUKU, Hawaii — Maui police said Thursday eight weapons were found in the home of Fleetwood Mac star John Graham McVie and wife Julie Ann during the search for cocaine that led to their arrests Dec. 23.
Both were charged with possession of a dangerous drug.
The British rock musician could face deportation if convicted. Mrs. McVie was also charged with hindering prosecution, for allegedly trying to get rid of evidence.
No charges had yet been filed concerning the weapons, but aliens are not allowed to have firearms. Hawaii law requires registration of certain weapons when they are brought into the state.
The weapons included as a loaded .30-caliber carbine, a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol, a 9mm Browning semiautomatic pistol, a 9mm Ingram pistol, a 12-gauge Remington shotgun, a riot gun, an AR-7 Charter Arms rifle and a .44 caliber revolver.
The trouble for the McVies began in Honolulu, where a dog trained to detect drugs sniffed out a package addressed to their Maui home.
Warrants were obtained and the package was opened and its contents sprinkled with a chemical that could be detected on the hands of anyone who handled them. The package was then resealed and allowed to go to its destination.
Vice officers armed with another warrant paid a call on the McVies Dec. 23 and allegedly confiscated 4.5 grams of cocaine.
The McVies were released on bail.
United Press International / January 8, 1981
