Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A male driver and his girlfriend were arrested and charged for violating local drug laws after police discovered illegal drugs inside their vehicle during a traffic stop last month.

The driver, Semisi Talo and his girlfriend who was the passenger, Valasi Tivalu made their initial appearance in District Court last month.

Talo is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth; one count of unlawful possession of meth with the intent to distribute, both felonies; along with one charge of possession of ammunition, a class A misdemeanor.

Tivalu (the girlfriend) is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony.

Talo’s bail is set at $20,000, and Tivalu’s at $5,000.

During their initial appearance, both defendants waived their rights to a PX.

Their pretrial conference is set for December of this year after they each entered a not guilty plea to the charges against them during their arraignment in High Court last week.

THE CASE

The government claims that on the afternoon of Sept. 13, 2022, police initiated a traffic stop in Puapua of a truck that was allegedly speeding, and the driver was not wearing his seat belt.

Cops pulled over the truck in front of a store in Puapua. And, while cops approached the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as Talo, had already exited the truck, with a small box in his hand.

Talo disagreed with the traffic stop but eventually the matter was resolved calmly, with Talo getting back inside the vehicle per police instructions.

It was found that Talo’s driver’s license had expired over two years ago when he told officers he did not have it on him.

Police also checked the truck’s license plate and discovered that it did not belong to the truck.

Both Talo and Tivalu were then asked to step out of the vehicle.

Talo was patted down per norm, where upon a glass pipe containing white crystalline substance was found inside his pocket, leading to his immediate arrest.

Cops also searched the small box he had in his possession when his vehicle was pulled over, and cops allegedly discovered illegal drugs, 4 cut-up straws containing white crystalline substance, inside a medium ziploc baggie; 18 empty cut-up straw; and 5 stamp-sized baggies containing white crystalline substance inside another medium plastic baggie, and paraphernalia.

Another glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance was discovered inside the vehicle between the driver’s and the passenger’s seat.

Tivalu was also patted down by a female cop and a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance was discovered inside her pants pocket.

Both Talo and Tivalu were taken to the TPS for questioning where they were interviewed separately.

When asked about the glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance discovered in her possession, Tivalu told police that the glass pipe belonged to her. She further stated that she got the pipe from a male friend.

When asked about the illegal drugs and paraphernalia discovered in his possession and inside his vehicle, Talo told investigators that everything found in his possession, including the small box, and in the vehicle belonged to him.

In his written statement to investigators, Talo stated that he bought the drugs from a man in Taputimu for the purpose of selling it to earn some money for him and his family. He said he’s been selling drugs for over a year now — and it’s a good and fast way to earn money.

He further told investigators that he only sold drugs to adults.

TOLAI SAMUELU

A man from Tafuna who shouted profanities at his neighbors and instructed them to get off the land was arrested last month. During his arrest, police found illegal drugs on him.

On Sept. 19, 2022, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a call from a young woman in Tafuna, asking for assistance in resolving a matter between her family and their neighbor. The neighbor was later identified as Tolai Samuelu, the defendant in this matter.

According to the victim’s statement to police, the defendant cut the tree that her mother was using as a part of a clothesline. When police officers arrived at the scene, the young woman told them it was a minor dispute that they could resolve themselves. However, four hours later, the young woman called TPS again; this time, asking for assistance regarding her neighbor, Samelu, who was allegedly yelling profanities and disrespecting her and her parents, telling them to get off the land before he killed somebody.

The young woman told police that efforts to resolve the matter peacefully were not successful — Samuelu yelled bad words at her and her husband; and, threw a rock at her father, which missed him, but caused damage to their truck.

When cops arrived they observed Samuelu sitting behind his house with a knife in his hand. When police asked him to put down the knife and come with them to the TPS to discuss the matter, Samuelu refused. Instead, he stood up and attempted to get away from police, while still holding the knife.

Samuelu was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation. Before he was transported to the TPS, he was patted down and during the body search, police discovered a glass pipe containing methamphetamine (meth) inside his pants pocket. He refused to speak to police regarding what happened at the residence.

He made his initial appearance in Court last month. He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony, along with one count of being armed with a dangerous weapon, trespass and PPD.

Bail is set at $10,000 and a preliminary hearing (PX) is set for this week.

TAULOMA APELU

A man was arrested last month on the allegation that he was intoxicated and yelling profanities on the road in Iliili. During his arrest, police found a small stamp-sized baggy containing a green leafy substance inside his wallet.

Tauloma Apelu made his initial appearance in District Court last month. He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, a felony, along with third degree assault and public peace disturbance, both class A misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $5,000.

PX is scheduled for next week.

AFFIDAVIT

The court affidavit states that a woman called police on Sept. 18, 2022 around 8:20 p.m to report that an intoxicated man was yelling profanities at her young children. She also told police that her son sustained injuries to his mouth as a result of the man’s actions.

Eyewitnesses told police that the defendant was heavily intoxicated, walking on the road and yelling profanities. Furthermore, the defendant also tried to pull a piece of timber that was lying on the side of the victim’s house. Somehow, the timber hit the young boy’s chin, which caused a cut on his upper lip.

Apelu was apprehended and transported to the TPS for questioning. He was allegedly drunk when he was taken into custody.

As Apelu was escorted to the police unit, a police officer witnessed him trying to reach into his pants pocket. Apelu was patted down per usual police protocol, and a small stamp-sized baggy containing dried green leaves (allegedly marijuana) was found inside his wallet.

When questioned about the incident, Apelu apologized for his action and told investigators that he was pissed off at the victim and his friends for bothering him while he was walking on the road.

When questioned about the baggie allegedly containing marijuana found inside his wallet, Apelu admitted that the drugs belonged to him.

LOGO SAIETE

A young man who spent 65 days behind bars for disturbing the peace in Malaeimi a few months ago was released from confinement last week, after the Court sentenced him to time served at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF).

The government claims that on the night of July. 12, 2022 around 10.45 p.m, Logo Saiete disturbed the peace, by yelling out profanities while he was heavily intoxicated, which caused many families to wake up and run to the road to see what was happening.

The government further claimed that the defendant also engaged in threatening behavior when some of the village people tried to calm him down.

Saiete pled guilty to peace disturbance (PPD), a class B misdemeanor. In return for his guilty plea, the government agreed to dismiss the remaining charges against the defendant. Saiete was arrested on the night of the incident and spent 65 days in TCF after he was unable to post his cash bond of $500.

Saiete appeared in Court last week for sentencing.

The court sentenced Saiete to a period of probation of 12 months subject to the following conditions — that he pay a fine of $165, stay away from consuming alcohol or possessing illegal drugs, and remain law abiding and visit the probation office every month.

FALEULU ANESI

A man arrested last month is now charged with unlawful possession of illegal drugs after police discovered drugs on his person and inside his vehicle when he was pulled over during a traffic stop in Malaloa.

On Sept. 4, a pickup heading east at a high rate of speed was pulled over by traffic officers. The driver identified himself as Faleulu Anesi during the stop and was alone in his vehicle. He also seemed very surprised and questioned why he was being stopped, according to police.

He denied he was speeding and in return, one of the officers allegedly provided Anesi with proof of his vehicle speeding — but the police report does not detail this proof.

It was further found that Anesi did not have a valid driver’s license, but did provide police with a photo ID to confirm his identity — however the ID was expired.

Anesi was told that his vehicle would be impounded because he didn’t have a valid driver’s license, and that he would be put in police custody and transported to the Fagatogo Police Headquarters (FPH) for further investigation.

Before Anesi was transported to the TPS, a body search was conducted and a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance and two hand rolled marijuana joints were discovered inside his rear pocket.

An inventory search was also conducted on his vehicle, and police discovered two small stamp-sized baggies containing a white crystalline substance under the passenger’s seat.

When questioned about the illegal drugs found inside his vehicle, and on his person, Anesi said that the drugs did not belong to him, but to his uncle who owns the vehicle. He was borrowing the vehicle.

Anesi made his initial appearance in court two weeks ago and is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies punishable by imprisonment from 5- 10 years, a fine of up to $20,000 or both.

Bail is set at $5,000.