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Woman who caught a ride to work, turns the driver in to police

American Samoa High Court building
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 42-year-old taxi driver who was charged with unlawful possession of a glass pipe containing methamphetamine after his vehicle was pulled over by police in January of this year has pled guilty in High Court.

Talosaga Fiu, who has been in custody since his arrest, unable to post a $5,000 cash bond, appeared in High Court last week for a Change of Plea hearing.

Fiu was originally charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a felony punishable by not less than five or more than ten years in jail, and a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $20,000, or both.

In a plea agreement with the government last month, Fiu pled guilty to unlawful possession of methamphetamine. With his guilty plea, Fiu admits that on Jan. 22, 2020 he unlawfully possessed a glass pipe, which contained meth.

According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 22, a 34-year-old woman called the Tafuna Substation to report something she noticed when a man who offered her a ride from Kokoland to her workplace in Tafuna.

The driver of the pickup truck was later identified as Fiu, the defendant in this case.

The government claims that according to the women, after accepting the offer of a ride by Fiu, in the vehicle he asked her if she wanted some “stuff” to make her day easier and fun.

The woman asked Fiu what he was referring to, and Fiu responded, “I got ice (methamphetamine) if you want a blow before starting your day.”

The woman said she was uncomfortable throughout the ride; and immediately after she was dropped off at his work place, the woman contacted the Tafuna Police Station and alerted them about the situation, including all the information regarding Fiu and his vehicle.

Not long afterwards, police located the vehicle matching the description given by the woman, on the Tafuna highway heading to Ottoville and immediately pulled it over. After a brief conversation with police, Fiu agreed to a body search and a search of his vehicle. That's when a glass pipe containing methamphetamine was discovered inside the left pocket of Fiu’s pants.

When asked about the glass pipe, Fiu refused to offer any information to police.

The white crystalline substance inside the glass pipe tested positive for meth.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20th, 2021.