BRENTWOOD — A Portsmouth man facing state and federal charges for allegedly planning to sell three-and-a-half pounds of marijuana and a quantity of MDMA is expected to plead guilty in both cases.

Christiaan Jennings, 25, is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County Superior Court on Aug. 21 for a plea-and-sentencing hearing.

He will appear in federal court on July 31 to plead guilty in connection with a three-count indictment alleging he was also selling the drug MDMA — also known as ecstasy — and possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to court records.

The deal in superior court was recently struck after defense lawyers put off a hearing to challenge the legality of a vehicle stop that led to Jennings’ arrest.

Portsmouth police initially stopped Jennings for allegedly swerving his Toyota Corolla while driving along Lafayette Road.

During the vehicle stop, police officers found Jennings had $42,000 cash in the trunk of his car and three-and-a-half pounds of marijuana, according to prosecutors. Jennings also handed over a handgun, which he had a permit to carry, police said.

The money has already been seized as part of an asset forfeiture proceeding in federal court.

Defense lawyer Kevin Reddington acknowledged that plea talks in the superior court case were under way back in May, but the plea-and-sentencing hearing was recently set by the court.

Reddington had asked a judge to cancel a hearing that would have decided whether the vehicle stop was made legally by police, court records show.

Jennings lost a similar bid to challenge the legality of being stopped by police in federal court.

In federal court, Jennings was indicted on charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

A Rockingham County Superior Court grand jury returned nine charges against Jennings, including possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell and driving under the influence of drugs.

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James A. Kimble may be reached at JKimble@newstote.com.