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Man steals vehicle after leaving nightclub and gets busted for speeding

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of breaking into a family’s property and stealing a vehicle has entered into a plea agreement with the government last week, during a Change of Plea (COP) hearing before Associate Justice Fiti Sunia.
 
Mealeaga Ale, who has been in custody since his arrest last year, unable to post his $10,000 surety bond was initially charged with first degree burglary and stealing, both class C felonies, punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years, a $5,000 fine or, pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to a maximum of $20,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.
 
Under a plea agreement with the government, accepted by the court, Ale pled guilty to the charge of stealing, a felony.
 
With his guilty plea, Ale admits that on Oct. 19th, 2019 around 4:00a.m, he broke into the victim’s property and stole a vehicle that was kept in a carport attached to the victim’s house. Inside the vehicle he stole items including two backpacks; personal items; a laptop; and, an iPad.
 
Both parties recommended to the court a probated sentence.
 
According to terms of the plea agreement, Ale and his friends were intoxicated after leaving a westside nightclub on the night of Oct. 18th.
 
They then walked to Ottoville and went to the victim’s home, where they saw the vehicle parked on the side of his house.
 
Ale allegedly got into the vehicle and drove off, dropping off his friend before continuing on to Faganeanea to pick up his girlfriend. But he never made it because he was pulled over in Nuuuli for speeding.
 
Sentencing is set for May 8th, 2020.
 
BACKGROUND
 
In 2018, an intoxicated Ale pled guilty to trespassing, admitting that he broke into a family’s house by entering through a window and then sleeping on the bed until the next morning. Ale was ordered to stay away from the family’s home and pay a $100 fine as a condition of his 6-month probation.