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Siaumau Jr back in court — again

American Samoa High Court building
This time, he allegedly assaulted his cousin and stole his money

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 35-year-old man with two pending cases in High Court was arrested last week on allegations that he assaulted his 25-year-old cousin and stole his money.

Elliott Siaumau Jr. is not new to the court system. He made his initial appearance before Judge Elvis P. Patea last Friday.

He was represented by Assistant Public Defender Ryan  Anderson, while Assistant Attorney General Jason Mitchell prosecuted.

Siaumau Jr is charged with first degree robbery, a class A felony punishable by imprisonment of not less than 10 years and not to exceed 30 years; stealing and third degree assault, both class A misdemeanors, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of $1,000 or both.

Siaumau’s bond is set at $50,000.

If he posts bond, the court has several conditions of release, which include no direct or indirect contact with the government's witnesses — including the victim and his family, who were allegedly affected by Siaumau's actions.

THE AFFIDAVIT.

On Feb. 23 the Tafuna Substation received a call from a woman claiming that her son was assaulted by Siaumau Jr at his residence, and the defendant had fled the scene.

 The caller was Siaumau Jr's aunt.

After police got the call for assistance, the victim walked into the Tafuna Substation and told police that he wanted to provide a written statement regarding the incident.

During the interview, cops observed a laceration on the victim’s nose, which required stitches. Paramedics were contacted and the victim was later transported to the LBJ Hospital for treatment.

The victim told police that Siaumau Jr confronted him and asked him for $30 but he refused because he needed the money for bus fare and food.

Siaumau Jr asked the victim a second time for $30 and the victim refused — again.

After asking several more times, Siaumau Jr allegedly snatched the money from the victim’s hand and choked the victim while threatening to stab him with scissors.

According to what the victim told police, he and Siaumau Jr wrestled for a moment before he was able to break free of the defendant’s choke hold, and that’s when he was allegedly punched in the face by Siaumau Jr., causing him to fall to the ground.

The victim said he tried to stand up but Siaumau Jr was running towards him, as if trying to tackle him.

That’s when the victim said he bear hugged Siaumau Jr to prevent him from assaulting him further. When the victim let go, Siaumau Jr. fled the scene — with the $30 — in an unknown vehicle.

The victim was treated and released from the hospital later. His injury required 3 stitches.

An arrest warrant was issued for Siaumau Jr.; however, police were unable to locate him that day.

When Siaumau Jr. appeared in District Court last Friday for another matter, that's when he was served a copy of the arrest warrant for this new case. He was immediately remanded to TCF custody.

BACKGROUND

Siaumau Jr. was charged with several misdemeanors including third degree assault, PPD, resisting arrest, and interfering with prosecution, in addition to two traffic citations, after taking police on a high-speed chase on Nov. 22, 2017

The government alleges that Siaumau Jr. went to the Leone Substation and took off with a young man (one of the victims from a fight at the intersection to Taputimu) before the investigation was complete, and while police were waiting for EMS to arrive.

Siaumau Jr. later told police that the victim was his son before the two drove off from the Leone Sub-station. On the stretch from Leone to Futiga, Siaumau Jr .continued to elude police, refusing to stop or pull over.  According to police, Siaumau Jr. allegedly flipped them off and told them to follow his truck.

He was later released after he posted a $500 bond.

In Feb. 2018, Siaumau Jr. was arrested again on allegations that he assaulted another man. For that case, the government charged him with second degree assault, a felony, and public peace disturbance.