Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man with an outstanding arrest warrant was picked up by police last week and charged with unlawful possession of drugs after a woman told authorities that her husband bought 2 marijuana cigarettes from him.

Arona Brown made his initial appearance in court last week.

The government has filed two separate criminal cases against Brown, who is also on probation for a felony conviction in High Court.

In the first case, Brown, a.k.a. “NASH” is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, a felony punishable by imprisonment between 5-10 years, a fine between $5,000- $20,000 or both.

In the second case, he is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, both felonies.

District Court Judge Elvis P. Patea established bond at $2,000 cash for the first case; and $5,000 surety for the second case.

Defense attorney, Assistant Public Defender Ryan Anderson asked the court to reduce his client’s bail to $2,000 for both cases, but prosecutor Christy Dunn opposed. She argued that Brown is not new to the court system, and his actions in these two cases show the type of person he is.

Dunn asked the court to maintain the bail amount for both cases, and Patea agreed.

When a police officer instructed Brown last week in the courtroom to sign a copy of the criminal complaint filed against him, Brown refused, saying all the allegations against him are not true.

 According to the government, a woman from Tafuna contacted police for assistance, after she found 2 marijuana cigarettes inside the left pocket of her husband’s pants. The woman told police she’s tired of her husband’s routine — spending money to buy drugs from a man named “NASH” every time he gets paid.

According to the woman, when she inquired about the drugs she found in his pants, her husband told her he bought them from his friend Nash, who is a taxi driver.

Samoa News understands that the woman’s husband was arrested two weeks ago and charged with third degree assault and private peace disturbance, on the allegations that he assaulted his wife for alerting police about the 2 marijuana joints.

An arrest warrant was issued for Brown following a report submitted by the DPS to the AG’s Office. Around 2:32p.m on Monday, July 22, 2019, police observed Brown in front of a store in Tafuna, where they informed him of the warrant for his arrest.

When he was patted down, a clear ziplock baggie — containing what appeared to be 3 hand rolled joints covered with a piece a cardboard — fell from the front right side of Brown’s pants.

Police also found a glass pipe (commonly used to smoke meth) containing a white crystalline substance residue, inside the right pocket of his pants.

The green leafy substance from the hand rolled joint tested positive for marijuana, while the white crystalline substance found in the glass pipe tested positive for meth.

Brown refused to make a statement about the drugs. He only spontaneously uttered, “What is the use of saying anything when I’ve been caught?”

Brown has denied the accusation that he sells drugs.

Preliminary examination is tomorrow.

BACKGROUND

Brown was one of two men the High Court sentenced to 28 months imprisonment back in July 2014, after they were convicted of burglarizing 2 homes and a store in Pavaiai.

Brown and his co-defendant were each convicted of first-degree burglary and stealing, both class C felonies.

The incident came to light when a man whose house was burglarized saw a young girl wearing a T-shirt belonging to his daughter. When the man confronted the girl about the T-shirt, the girl said it belonged to her brother, Alesana Tagaloa.

Tagaloa is Brown’s co-defendant.

When police searched Tagaloa’s home — Brown was there — along with several stolen items including clothes, shoes, DVD players, cell phones, and 2 laptops. Most of the stolen items were returned to the owner.