Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Samoa News previously reported on the 15 individuals that were apprehended in Pago Pago by the Vice and Narcotics Unit and Criminal Investigations Division during a recent drug bust, when a search warrant was executed on the residence of Monte Carlo Ieremia. 

During the search of Ieremia’s residence, two individuals were discovered on the scene and were identified as Togi Fereti and Fa’afili Lesa, who were both detained at the scene.

When a pat down of Fereti was conducted, two cut up straws containing crystalline substance and one medium size baggie were allegedly discovered on his person. A pat down of Lesa was also conducted, and resulted in the alleged discovery of a glass pipe containing crystalline substance in her possession. 

The crystalline substance was tested and revealed a positive result for methamphetamine (meth).

Both Fereti and Lesa were Mirandized on the same day at 11:40 AM, and both refused to make statements or answer any questions. 

They are both charged with a criminal count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, meth.

Bail for each defendant has been set at $2,000.

ASSAULT AND PPD IN FAGASA

The Fagatogo police station received a call reporting that an individual was causing a public disturbance by yelling profanities and assaulting a woman. When officers arrived at the scene in Fagasa, they observed two unknown females standing beside a vehicle — they were later identified as the victim and the reporter of the incident. 

The reporter of the incident told officers that the accused, later identified as Sepp Steffany, was inside the house, but when officers canvassed the area they were unable to locate him. 

(Samoa News should point out that there is a local businessman with the same name. He is not the defendant.)

According to the victim, she stated that she and her daughter-in-law, the reporter, had just gotten home from work. As they both went inside the house, they saw blankets on the ground but they didn’t see the defendant inside the house. Moments later, she saw the accused walking towards her and she asked him why he had “brought our stuff outside from our room,” to which he replied with a furious tone that it was his (room).

The victim, who is the grandmother of the defendant, proceeded to pick the blankets up from the ground, and was caught off guard when the defendant punched her in her right cheek. She fell and tried to defend herself, but he continued on punching her with a closed fist and scratched her right hand. 

The reporter tried to intervene and separate the defendant from the victim, but the defendant turned and yelled profanities at her and left and threatened them by saying that he’s going to look for a knife.

Fearing for their lives, the victim and the reporter went outside and at them. The victim further alleged that this was not the first time the defendant has assaulted her. 

Officers then informed the victim and the reporter that if the defendant should return, that they should contact them. 

On the same date at 5:50 PM, the reporter called the FPS saying that the defendant had returned, and officers swiftly made their way to Fagasa and apprehended him.

The defendant was then transported to the FPS and was Mirandized, but refused to make a statement or answer questions.

He is being charged with four counts — two counts of private peace disturbance and two counts of assault in the first degree.

Bail is set at $1,000.

ASSAULT AS BABY SLEEPS BESIDE MOTHER

A woman walked into the Tafuna Police Substation and filed a complaint against her husband, who allegedly assaulted her by punching her in the face while their 8-month old baby slept next to her. 

The victim sustained injuries on the right side of her face, and bruises on her left cheek, eye and forehead, along with her arms. The victim stated that they had an argument where her husband accused her of having an affair with a man at her place of work. 

After the argument, she proceeded to pack her belongings and went to her mother’s house in Nu’uuli.

On the same day at 3:30 PM, she was sleeping and was awakened when her husband physically assaulted her by punching her in the face with a closed fist, and then took their child and left.

Officers then proceeded to their residence in Pava’ia’i and apprehended the defendant and transported him to the TPS for further investigation. 

The defendant was then Mirandized, and provided a verbal statement.

According to him, he was tired of his wife’s lies and that he was suspicious that she was cheating on him, and his suspicions were fueled because of his wife’s alleged messages with this man. 

The defendant said that on that same day, September 16, 2023, he confronted his wife regarding the messages. They ended the argument when they both agreed to separate and that’s when she packed her and their daughter’s belongings and went to her mother’s house. 

When they left, he allegedly received a notification on messenger with a message from the man that she works with saying “I love you”, which was allegedly deleted shortly after.

He then made his way to his wife’s mother’s house, and went inside the bedroom and saw his wife sleeping, and that’s when he allegedly assaulted her.

The defendant states that when his mother heard him assaulting the victim, she rushed in and yelled at him to stop, and pulled him out of the room. He then pulled away from his mother and grabbed his daughter and went to the car. 

The defendant is being charged with three criminal counts — one count of private peace disturbance, one count of assault in the third degree, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Bail is set at $1,000.

(Not mentioned, is whether or not the child was returned to their mother.)