Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 3, 2025, an investigation revealed that a man who failed to register as a sex offender was working and living in one of the local elementary schools, according to the affidavit filed in the District Court on Nov. 11, 2025 concerning the case.

Nathaniel Lee Strauss was later apprehended and charged with Count 1: Failure to Register as Sex Offender, a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment for not more than five years, or fined not more than $5,000, or both.

The defendant's bail was set at $5,000.

Court records reveal that on Nov 3rd, local police officers received information regarding Mr. Strauss (the suspect). An investigation into the information later revealed that the suspect is here in American Samoa, working as a maintenance person at a local elementary school. The suspect also resides on the school grounds.

The information received by police concerned the suspect's status as a registered sex offender, who was on island in violation of his registration requirements in Hawaii. The registration requirements originated from a sex offense conviction in Larimer County, Colorado.

On Nov 3, 2025, local officials contacted the Larimer County Sheriff's Department for more information on the suspect. As a result of the inquiry, the Larimer County Sheriff's Department confirmed to local officials the identity of Strauss by photograph, Sexually Violent Predator Bulletin, and date of birth. The local officials were informed that the suspect had been convicted of multiple sex offenses concerning children in 2008.

The suspect's conviction history includes the following dates and offenses:

November 25, 2008 — Sexual Exploitation of a Child;

November 25, 2008 — Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor- Sexual Factual Basis; and,

August 6, 2021 —  Sexual Assault: 10-year age difference between offender and victim.

In addition, Larimer's officials stated that they had reason to believe the suspect had relocated to Oregon and then to Hawaii.

Local officials were able to make contact with an official from the Sex Offender Registry for the Attorney General's Office of Hawaii, who stated that the suspect had been located in Hawaii. The official also mentioned that the suspect had been in complete noncompliance with his registration requirements throughout his time living there since November 2024.

The suspect initially registered on Nov 15, 2024, but never communicated with the department again. These actions violated his registry requirements in Hawaii.

Additionally, the official reported that the suspect never contacted their department as required for permission to travel to American Samoa.

On Nov 3, 2025, the local official reported his findings to the Department of Public Safety.

At that time, local authorities proceeded to the elementary school located in Fatu ma Futi to speak with the suspect.

The suspect provided the officers with a document identified as a notification of Covered Offender Registration from the State of Hawaii. Strauss admitted to being a sex offender who was required to register. The suspect also understood that he had about three days to register upon arrival at AS.

As part of the registration, the local officials ran a "Movement Profile" report, which indicated that the suspect arrived in American Samoa in May 2025.

A stop order was issued on Nov 4, 2025, for the suspect. He was then taken into custody for failure to register as a sex offender in American Samoa.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.]