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Street value of drugs allegedly found during burglary investigation set at $2,000- $3,000

American Samoa High Court building

 

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —A quantity of methamphetamine (meth) was allegedly found on a man from Ottoville after police executed a warrant for his involvement in an incident where he and another man broke into a store in Nu’uuli in May of this year and stole several items.

During Misileo Niko’s arrest, officers discovered drugs on him.

Police did a pat down after his hands were cuffed and found a baggie containing white crystalline substance inside the right pocket of his pants. Police searched Niko’s left pocket and found another baggie containing a green leafy substance.

The white crystalline and the green leafy substances were later tested using the Reagent Field Test and the results were positive for meth (white crystalline) and THC, an active compound in marijuana (green leaf).

The search was moved to the defendant’s home according to the search warrant and no drugs were found, but several items found were identified as commonly used by people distributing drugs — like empty stamp sized baggies, scissors, a scale, propane tank and empty glass pipe commonly used to smoke meth.

After he was Mirandized, Niko said he understood and he wished to make a statement to police.

He stated to police that he had just come from Iliili by bus from reloading from a drug dealer and was surprised when arrested by police. He bought meth from another man for $300 US currency but the dealer gave it to him for about $200 because it was his daughter’s birthday on the following week.

The baggie containing marijuana was purchased from another dealer in the same area for about $100.

The estimated street value of the meth and marijuana allegedly discovered on the defendant would be about $2,000- $3,000.

When Niko made his initial appearance in court he was charged with unlawful possession of meth, one count of unlawful possession of meth with the intent to distribute; one count of unlawful possession of marijuana; and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute; all unclassified felonies, punishable by imprisonment from 5- 10 years, a fine of up to $20,000 or both, along with one count of stealing and one count of burglary, both felonies.

Bail is set at $10,000.

Niko waived his rights to a preliminary examination during his initial appearance and his case was bound over to High Court where he appeared two weeks ago entering a not guilty plea to all the charges against him.

Pretrial conference is next month.