Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 28, 2026, a man identified as Semisi Leinati was arrested after allegedly trespassing inside a Methodist church in Malaeloa, an incident that raised ongoing concerns among church members about repeated encounters with the man.

The suspect was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Trespass, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, filed in the District Court on Jan. 29, the Leone Police Substation (LPS) received a call from a resident reporting a man had been seen inside the church — it was allegedly a locked building.

Officers responded and met with the caller, who directed them to the suspect’s location. When officers approached the man, he reportedly refused to cooperate and immediately fled on foot. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit and apprehended him shortly thereafter before transporting him to the LPS for further investigation.

The caller later informed officers that he had not personally witnessed the suspect inside the church but had been notified by the church pastor’s daughter. Officers proceeded to interview her to clarify the situation.

The pastor’s daughter told police that she and her niece had been walking toward a nearby store when they heard piano music coming from inside the church. Knowing the church is always locked after services, she approached and discovered Mr. Leinati inside.

She noted this was not the first time he had been found in the building and stated that church members had previously located him sleeping inside despite the building being locked.

She also expressed concern that the suspect appeared to be under the influence of drugs, adding that church members were increasingly worried about his repeated access to the locked building. She instructed the suspect to exit the church before contacting authorities.

After completing the witness interview, officers transported Leinati to the LPS and placed him in the conference room for questioning.

Police say he refused to listen when he was Mirandized, and declined to comply with questioning, and would not provide a statement.

Leinati was later booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await his court appearance.

The defendant is identified as a 28-year-old citizen of Tonga.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.]