Woman assaulted when she allegedly refuses to have sex
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On March 17, 2025, a concerned citizen contacted the Leone Police Station (LPS) to report an assault. Investigation later revealed that a man allegedly assaulted a woman when she refused to have sex with him.
The suspect was later charged with:
Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,
Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $3,000.
According to the court affidavit, on March 17, 2025 at about 6:00 a.m., Ilalio Polevia (later identified as a suspect) had an argument with a woman (later identified as the victim), and allegedly punched her head several times at his house.
An investigation into the incident revealed that the victim had moved to the suspect’s house about a month before, as the suspect had let her stay at his house since she did not have a place to stay.
The investigation also revealed that a witness stepped in and pushed Polevia away when he was assaulting the victim. The witness further assisted the victim by gathering her belongings and helping her leave the suspect’s house.
The affidavit noted that Polevia, the victim and witness all reside in the same house.
The reporter was interviewed too, and she stated that she happened to be passing by that morning, when she saw an unknown man beating up an unknown woman in front of a house. The reporter called the LPS at around 7:07a.m. and reported the alleged assault.
Police officers arrived at the scene at approximately 7:18 a.m. and observed a woman standing on the sidewalk with her belongings who appeared upset. The officers approached the woman (victim) and interviewed her at the scene.
According to the victim, the suspect became angry with her when she refused to have sex with him. She explained that when she told the suspect that she didn’t want to have sex, he became aggressive towards her and chased her out of his house, and while she was packing her belongings, she and the suspect were exchanging words.
He then walked towards her and started punching her head several times while she was exiting the house. The suspect repeatedly beat her until she fell in front of the house. Fortunately for her, the witness stepped in and pushed the suspect away.
The victim refused to be treated by the EMS.
The officers interviewed the witness at the scene. The witness stated that she was lying on the bed when the incident occurred. She overheard the argument between the suspect and the victim getting heated and she witnessed the suspect assaulting the victim in front of the house by hitting her repeatedly, and she stepped in and pushed the suspect away.
The officers apprehended the suspect and transported him to the LPS for further investigation. Upon arrival at the LPS, the suspect requested medical treatment. The EMS arrived later and treated him.
Polevia was not confined due to the EMTs advising that the suspect be admitted to the ER for treatment due to a broken bone that required immediate medical attention. The injury was noted as preexisting having flared up again during the assault.
The affidavit does not state whether or when the suspect was later arrested and confined.
The defendant is identified as a 56-year-old US National.