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Two men picked up on other charges allegedly found with drugs as well

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 35-year-old man was picked up pursuant to an arrest warrant from the court on the allegation that he unlawfully entered a store in the Tafuna area and stole several items.

The government filed two separate cases against Fonofaavae Amoni when he made his initial appearance in court last month.

In the first case, the defendant is charged with stealing and second degree burglary, both class C felonies, punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years, a $5,000 fine or, pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to a maximum of $20,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

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

Bond is set at $25,000.

The defense’s attorney asked to reduce his client’s bail to $10,000 surety for both cases; but prosecutor pointed out that the defendant is not new to the court system, and his actions in these two cases show the type of person he is and asked that bail be maintained in both cases and the court agreed.

THE CASE

On June. 29, 2021, a businessman reported to police that his store in the Tafuna area was burglarized by an unknown person and a lot of personal belongings stolen. He told police that the perpetrator was unable to enter the portion of the store where food and other items are stored, but only managed to gain entry into the back room where his personal belongings were stored.

A copy of the surveillance footage was provided to investigators, which shows a man entering the back portion of the store by damaging the wooden door to gain entry.

A female employee was able to identify the person on the surveillance footage as Fonofaavae Amoni, the defendant.

Amoni was picked up from his uncle’s home in Faleniu, two months after the alleged incident and taken in for questioning. He allegedly admitted to investigators that he broke into the store and stole some items on the night of June 29.

He went on to say that some of the items he stole were sold to his friend from Iliili in exchange for drugs, while others were sold to another man from Vaitogi for money to buy him and his friends food and beer.

Prior to the interview, a body search of the defendant was conducted and drugs were found —two clear ziplock baggies containing a white crystalline substance which later tested positive for meth, as well as two hand rolled joints, which later tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active compound in the controlled substance marijuana.

The defendant signed the arrest warrant for the burglary case; however, he refused to make a statement regarding the marijuana joints and the two baggies of meth. When asked about the drugs, the defendant refused to talk, but told police to go ahead with whatever they found on him. He told police he didn’t want to offer any more information regarding the incident.

FAAMOANA ARASI

A man was apprehended by police after he allegedly tried to damage the door of a vehicle parked on the side of the road last month. During his arrest, cops discovered a glass pipe containing meth inside his pocket.

Faalogo Arasi made his initial appearance in court last month. He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony, along with one count of 3rd degree property damage; attempted stealing and disturbing the public peace (PPD), all misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $5,000 cash bond. Preliminary hearing is set for next week.

The government alleges that it was around 9p.m on a Saturday last month when a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for assistance after she realized that a man was trying to open the back door of a vehicle parked on the side of the road in the Tafuna area. Police responded and observed a man, llater identified as Faamoana Arasi, 35, the defendant in this matter, walking around the vehicle.

Arasi fled the scene when he saw the police unit and officers immediately chased and apprehended him. Arasi was intoxicated.

He told police that he was looking for money to pay for a taxi to go to his girlfriend’s home in Malaeimi.

According to police, the window to the passenger’s door was damaged when Arasi hit it with a rock.

Before Arasi was transported to the TPS for questioning, cops conducted a body search on him and discovered a glass pipe containing meth inside his right pocket.

When questioned about the glass pipe found in his possession, Arasi stated that he found the glass pipe at the area where the vehicle parked.