Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of disturbing the public peace in front of a store in the Tafuna area was arrested after he fled the scene. During his arrest, the man, Filisounu’u Nikolao was found with illegal drugs.

Filisounu’u Nikolao, 32, made his initial appearance in Court last month.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, punishable by imprisonment of 5-10 years, a fine between $5,000- $20,000 or both; along with 3rd degree assault and PPD, both misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $10,000.

THE ALLEGATION

According to the government’s case, a taxi driver contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) requesting police assistance regarding two men who assaulted him.

The victim told police that he picked up the two men the Laufou Shopping Centre in Nu’uuli and dropped them at a gas station in the Tafuna area, not far from the Cost-U-Less area.

The victim told police that the man who had a tattoo on the right side of his neck punched him in the face and pushed him in the chest. The two men then exited his vehicle and walked away without paying their fare. He told the men to pay their fare, which was $10, but the two men continued to walk away from him, stopped a red pick-up truck and left.

The male, who had a tattoo on his neck, was later identified as Filisounu’u Nikolao, the defendant in this matter.

Officers spotted the red pick-up truck one hour later, officers on the Malaeimi public highway and pulled it over.

Officers approached the vehicle and observed three males inside. Officers then explained to the driver of the vehicle the nature of the traffic stop. The driver explained that the two men — his cousin and another male — stopped his vehicle in front of the Cost-U-Less and asked for a ride home.

Officers asked the two passengers to identify themselves. Nikolao identified himself, along with a 17-year-old male.

The driver of the vehicle was allowed to go home but Nikolao and the juvenile were taken to the TPS for further investigation.

Both Nikolao and the juvenile were patted down for weapons or contraband. Nothing was found on the juvenile, however, officers found two small stamp-sized baggies containing a green leafy substance inside Nikolao’s rear pocket, along with a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance.

When asked about the drugs and paraphernalia discovered in his possession, Nikolao said he found the drugs and paraphernalia in the truck when he jumped inside it, and he then picked the items up and put them inside his pocket.

When asked about the incident where he allegedly assaulted a taxi driver, Nikolao admits that he pushed the taxi driver on his chest and punched him in the face.

The juvenile was released to his parents after he was questioned by investigators pending further investigation on the alleged assault on the taxi driver.

FAALILO SEUMANU

A 32-year-old man who is on probation for stealing was arrested again by police on the allegation he violated local drug laws.

Faalilo Seumanu was one of the two passengers in a Toyota pick-up truck that was pulled over by police last month in Fatu ma Futi where three cut-up straws containing a white crystalline substance and two hand rolled cigarettes containing a green leafy substance were found inside the right pocket of his pants.

The truck was stopped for speeding in the area on the early morning of June 10, 2022. Three males were inside the vehicle, the driver, Seutele Amituana’i and two passengers Seumanu, the defendant, in this case and a 16-year-old juvenile

While the officers were issuing the driver traffic citations, Seumanu opened the passenger’s door and exited the vehicle. However, he was instructed by an officer to get back inside the vehicle but Seumanu continued to walk to walk away, and when a police officer approached him he took off and ran across road and continued fleeing from the officer. He was later apprehended by police and placed inside a police unit.

A body search was conducted on Seumanu where officers discovered three cut-up straws containing a white crystalline substance, and a small baggie with two hand rolled cigarettes containing a green leafy substance inside.

The white crystalline substance was tested and was positive for meth, while the green leafy substance was tested and was positive for THC/ marijuana.

The defendant told officers he bought the illegal drugs from a friend, for another friend, not for himself. He told officers he doesn’t smoke meth nor weed.

The driver of the vehicle was also interviewed by police regarding Seumanu’s presence inside his vehicle during the traffic stop. He said Seumanu, a long time friend asked him for a ride to Matu’u from Fagatogo Market, and that he did not know Seumanu had drugs in his possession until the police found them.

Seumanu made his initial appearance in court. He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, punishable by term of imprisonment from 5 to 10 years, a fine not more than $20,000, or both.

No mention was made in the court documents of Seumanu’s probation status.

Bail is set at $5,000.

TOMASI SAPATU

A driver of a vehicle pulled over by cops for a traffic violation is charged for violating local drug laws after police discovered a small stamp sized baggie containing meth and contraband inside his vehicle.

Tomasi Sapatu made his initial appearance in Court last month.

He is charged with a single count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 nor more than 10 years, a fine of up to $20,000.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

The government alleges that on June 12, 2022 around 5p.m, TPS- Traffic Division officers contacted detectives of the Vice and Narcotic Unit (VNU) for assistance regarding a vehicle stop where a small baggie containing a white crystalline substance was discovered inside the vehicle, along with contraband.

According to the traffic officer, the vehicle was stopped on the Futiga public highway due to a traffic violation, and the driver did not have a driver’s license or any other form of identification.

The driver was identified as Tomasi Sapatu, the defendant in this matter.

Sapatu, 33, was then told to exit the vehicle in order to be transported to the TPS for further questioning. When the driver exited the vehicle, officers discovered several empty small baggies on the floor mat beneath driver’s seat. Officers then asked the driver what it was and the driver responded, he didn’t know.

As the police officer reached out to the contraband, he observed a small stamp sized baggy containing a white crystalline substance under the passenger’s seat.

The small baggie, along with the contraband baggies were confiscated and handed over to the VNU and the white residue found inside the small baggie was tested and confirmed positive for meth.

At the TPS, the driver was Mirandized and he agreed to make a statement to investigators about what had happened

According to his written statement, he said he had no knowledge of any of the baggies.

He was later transported to the Territorial Correctional Facility where he was booked and confined.