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Man accused of supplying high school students with weed, enters plea

Just say no to marijuana symbol
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — One of the two men arrested last year on allegations that they gave high school students 4 marijuana cigarettes has entered into a plea agreement with the government.

Taliu Taumaloto was charged in two separate cases. In the first case, he was charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and one  count of endangering the welfare of a child.

In the second case, he was charged with one count of escape from confinement, a class D felony.

But under a plea agreement with the government, He pled guilty to the amended charge of unlawful possession of marijuana. He admits that on May 25, 2019 he gave 4 marijuana cigarettes to a high school student to sell. According to terms of the plea agreement, police received a call from a staffer at Tafuna HS alleging that two students were caught by the school counselor smoking marijuana on campus.

When questioned by detectives, one of the students said the marijuana came from a guy named “Heart” — later identified as Taliu Taumaloto. It took 2 weeks for police to locate the defendant. He fled every time he saw police units heading towards his Vaitogi residence.

When questioned, Taumaloto explained that the marijuana cigarettes did not belong to him, they actually belonged to his friend. The government is recommending probation for Taumaloto who will be sentenced Mar. 27th.

For now, he remains in custody, unable to post a $10,000 cash bond.