Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man who was "harassing" customers at a store in Pava'ia'i on Christmas Eve has pled 'not guilty' to public peace disturbance.

District Court Judge Fiti Sunia has ordered a pretrial conference for January 30, 2019.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the store after a female employee reported that Benjamin Raimo was causing problems at the store.

Cops arrived to find the defendant and another person consuming alcohol in front of the establishment.

According to the caller, the intoxicated defendant was "bothering" customers who were shopping.

She told police that Raimo walked into the store, demanding that the owner give him his change. But the female employee claimed that Raimo was already given his change, but he was probably too drunk to remember.

She said Raimo was chased out of the store numerous times but he continued to make his way back in. At one point, she said, he shouted at the owner, calling him names.

Raimo is also alleged to have followed a customer around, resulting in that customer leaving the store. Cops said a strong odor of alcohol was emitting from Raimo when he was being transported to the TCF.

Last week, Judge Sunia released Raimo on his own recognizance, and ordered him to stay away from the government's witness, stay away from the store, remain law abiding, and remember that he is subject to random testing; therefore, he must remain sober.