Man who allegedly threatens wife and children arrested and charged
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 27, 2024, a victim contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her husband had allegedly assaulted and threatened her and her children.
The suspect denied the allegation but was arrested and charged with:
Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both; and
Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree ( As a C Misd.) (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150., or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.
(Samoa News has withheld names of those involved to protect the victim and the minors involved in this case. )
According to the affidavit, on October 27th, at about 8:35 p.m, a victim called the TPS to report that her husband had allegedly assaulted her. Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene they made initial contact with the victim. The victim then briefed the authorities regarding the incident.
After briefing the officers, she directed the officers where the suspect was located. The officers apprehended the suspect and placed him inside the police unit and transported him to the TPS for further investigation.
The officers interviewed the victim and she provided both a verbal and written statement. According to the victim, her husband (suspect) was looking for his cellular phone and it took him a while to search for it.
The victim claimed that the suspect got angry and told his kids that if they don’t find his phone, he will kill them. After scolding his kids, the suspect then came up to her and grabbed one of the kids' tablets and threw it at her while she was holding her 2-month old baby. Luckily, it missed and it didn’t hit her or her baby.
The victim also stated that her husband made threatening remarks towards her and told her that he’ll stab her with a knife.
The officers also interviewed the victim’s and the suspect’s 14-year-old son. He stated that his dad was searching for his phone, and his father got angry because he couldn’t find his phone and threatened to “snatch out our throats by using a plier”.
Upon arrival at the TPS, the suspect was Mirandized and agreed to provide a statement.
The suspect stated that “nothing happened at their house”. He claimed it was just a couple’s argument but he did not assault or threaten his wife and kids.
The suspect was booked and confined to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.
The defendant is identified as a 37-year-old citizen of Samoa.