Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 30-year-old man who was released by the court four months ago on his own recognizance under the condition that he remain law abiding and stay alcohol and drug free, is now facing felony drug charges after he was re-arrested for alleged possession of marijuana.

Sione Tifaga, who was charged earlier with PPD, a class B misdemeanor, is now charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, both class D felonies, punishable by imprisonment of 5-10 years and a fine of $5,000-$20,000.

Bond is set at $10,000 and a preliminary examination is next week.

THE CASE

On the evening of Feb. 20, the DPS Vice & Narcotics Unit received information regarding a truck that was pulled over by traffic cops on the east side of the island and illegal drugs were allegedly discovered in the back seat of the vehicle.

During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that the driver, Sione Tifaga, had been released four months earlier following an arrest on a PPD charge.

A search of the vehicle, conducted in Tifaga's presence, uncovered a black pouch on the back seat of the truck containing a medium plastic baggie holding 5 rolled joints (containing a green leafy substance) that appeared to be marijuana. Also inside was a wallet was Tifaga's driver's license and personal documents.

Police also discovered a separate medium sized plastic bag, containing cash and rolling papers. After the vehicle was searched, Tifaga was taken into custody for further questioning.

In his statement to police, Tifaga admitted that the vehicle, along with the illegal drugs discovered in the black pouch, all belonged to him. He told investigators that he had just returned from delivering drugs to two other people, and he got the marijuana joints from another male, and he was selling each joint for $10.

Police noted the name of the person Tifaga said from which he got the drugs.

The green leafy substance that was found in the vehicle tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

ALEKI VALELIA

The government has charged a 42-year-old man for alleged attempted burglary and unlawful possession of illegal drugs.

Aleki Valelia made his initial appearance in Court last month. He is charged in two separate cases: attempted stealing and third degree property damage in the first case; and unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) and unlawful possession of marijuana in the second case.

Bond for Valelia is set at $10,000.

According to the government, cops were tipped off by a man who reported that a male tried to break into a store in Tafuna by using a metal pipe in an attempt to open the lock of the back door on Feb. 12, 2022.

Police responded but were unable to locate the suspect. Two days later, the same caller contacted police again, saying the alleged culprit was within sight. When cops arrived this time, the witness pointed to the defendant who was sitting at a bus stop not far away from the store that he had attempted to burglarize.

Police approached Valelia and asked him to come with them to the police station. Valelia looked nervous and attempted to run but was quickly apprehended by police and transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for questioning.

Prior to being taken to the TPS, a body search was conducted and two glass pipes containing a white crystalline substance and one small stamped size baggie containing 4 hand-rolled green leafy cigarettes wrapped inside a blank piece of white paper were found in Valelia’s right pocket.

Valelia told police he got the marijuana cigarettes and the two glass pipes with meth from a friend, whose identity he did not reveal. When asked about the alleged attempted store break-in, Valelia told police it was his male cousin who did it, not him.

Investigators are also looking into another burglary involving a store in the Tafuna area not far away from the location of the store where a witness allegedly saw the defendant trying to break in.

Witnesses told investigators that it was Valelia and his two young friends that were allegedly involved in that burglary. When asked by investigators, Valelia strongly denied any knowledge regarding the alleged burglary.

CHRISTIAN FALANIKO

A man accused of assaulting another man during a drinking session two months ago is now in custody after police allegedly found two small baggies containing illegal drugs and a glass pipe — also allegedly containing drugs — in his possession.

Christian Falaniko made his initial appearance in Court last month. He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony; and three misdemeanors: third degree assault; trespass; and disturbing the public peace.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

On the night of Feb. 10, police were contacted by a businessman in Tafuna, reporting that a man was being assaulted by a drunken man engaged in a drinking session with two others at the side of his store.

When police arrived at the scene, a black truck parked at the east side of the store sped off. Police were told by the business owner that the driver was the one who assaulted the victim.

The prosecution claims that earlier that evening, the black truck had pulled up in front of the store and two men were inside. The two men parked and started drinking in the back of the truck.

They were identified as: the defendant, Christian Falaniko, 37, and a friend.

Two hours after the drinking session began, the two men started making loud noises and Falaniko allegedly threw an empty beer bottle in the store parking lot. A customer came out and told the two men to leave the premises because they were not allowed to drink there.

Falaniko walked over to the man and allegedly punched him twice in the face, causing the man to fall. Another man jumped in to assist the victim. Falaniko then ran and jumped into his vehicle with his friend, and fled the scene before police arrived.

When questioned, the victim told police he was surprised when a huge man walked over to him and started throwing hard punches at his face. He said he didn’t remember how many blows he took because he was trying to cover his face after the first punch landed on his jaw, causing him to fall, while the man continued to assault him.

Falaniko was apprehended by police at a restaurant in the Tafuna area, and transported to the TPS for questioning.

A body search netted two small baggies containing a white crystalline substance in his left pocket, and glass pipe containing what later tested positive as meth in his right pants pocket.

When asked about the drugs and pipe, Falaniko told police he found them in front of the Tafuna store during their drinking session. He later admitted that he assaulted a man at the same Tafuna store by punching and kicking his facial area and his back, because the man yelled profanities at him and his friend and made threats against them.

MALAKI FALAULA

A man who was on probation for a drug conviction is now back in custody after he allegedly tested positive for marijuana during his monthly visit to the Probation Office two months ago.

Malaki Falaula appeared in court two months ago for his initial appearance and his Preliminary Examination (PX) is set for next week. In the meantime, he’s remanded back into custody without bond.

According to court documents, when the defendant went to see his probation officer for his monthly visit, he was informed he would need to take a drug test, the results of which turned out positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Despite the positive result from the drug test, Falaula continued to deny that he had smoked marijuana.

Three years ago in 2019, the defendant was convicted of unlawful possession of meth and for stealing from his grandmother and using the proceeds to buy drugs. While the defendant was in custody awaiting the outcome of his case, his grandmother passed away.

VIANE FAAMATI

A man allegedly found with a glass pipe containing meth inside his vehicle when police pulled him over for a traffic violation last year has been arrested and charged.

The question as to why the government waited so long to charge Viane Faamati in this case is still unanswered.

According to the government’s case, four police officers patrolling the public highways in the Nuuuli area on Apr. 25, 2021 observed a vehicle speeding, heading westbound. Officers followed the vehicle and made a traffic stop in front of a gas station in the Nuuuli area.

Officers approached the driver of the vehicle and informed him of the reason for the stop. The driver of the vehicle was later identified as Viane Faamati, the defendant in this case. When asked for his driver’s license, Faamati told police he had forgotten his driver’s license at home, and no other form of photo identification was presented.

Police then informed Faamati that his vehicle was impounded because he didn’t have a driver’s license to operate the vehicle on a public highway. Furthermore, he was also being transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Before Faamati was transported to the TPS, police conducted a body search on him and nothing was found. The search then moved to the vehicle where police discovered a black pouch between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat. Inside the black pouch was a glass pipe containing white powder.

The white powder was later tested and the result was positive for meth.

After being Mirandized, Faamati refused to make a statement to police.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony.

Bail is set at $5,000.

During the initial appearance proceedings, Faamati’s defense attorney informed the court that his client wished to exercise his rights to a preliminary examination (PX).