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Elusive defendant out on bond, finally arrested this past week

Four vehicles of family members used as collateral for bond may be forfeited
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Titilua Tagaloa was finally arrested on Tuesday this week after several months of being on the run from police and she is being held in custody without bail.

Tagaloa is accused of violating conditions of her release on bond, including failure to appear in court when her case was called in April of this year, and failure to comply with the stay clean from illegal drugs and alcohol mandate.

She made her initial appearance in High Court yesterday morning, where she entered a not guilty plea to all the allegations against her, through her attorney, Acting Public Defender, Michael White. Prosecuting the case is Christy Dunn of the Attorney General’s Office.

During her initial appearance, Chief Justice Michael Kruse asked counsel White what he wanted to do with his client, since her bond is now forfeited after she failed to appear when her case was called in April. White’s response was, “I’m not sure at this time your Honor.”

Kruse smiled and told White that he has to think about family members whose vehicle was used to bail out the defendant. According to Kruse, there were 4 vehicles that were used as collateral to bail out the defendant, which made up the $30,000 surety bond.

Dunn told the court that the defendant has two outstanding OSCs in court (Orders to Show Cause), and these two hearings are still pending in court.

Kruse turned to the defense attorney and said, “I need you to let those people who own these vehicles know what is going on in this court. They have to understand what happen to their vehicles if the court rules to take the bond in this matter.”

Tagaloa is out on a  $30,000 surety bond, following her arrest by police last September for drug possession. She is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, to wit; methamphetamine.

As a condition of her release on bond, she was ordered to visit the Probation Office once a month or any other time the office ordered her to do so. She was ordered not to possess or consume illegal drugs or alcohol, and to submit to random testing to ensure she is in compliance with conditions of her release.

However, since her release from the TCF last September, Tagaloa has never visited the Probation Office. The Chief Probation Officer then filed a motion in court asking for an order to revoke the defendant’s bond release.

Tagaloa’s first Order to Show Cause (OSC) hearing for her bond revocation was set for April 6, 2018.

When the defendant’s case was called, Kruse instructed the Chief Probation Officer to take the witness stand and tell the court the reason for the motion.

According to the Chief Probation Officer, they tried to contact the defendant multiple times but were unable to find her. The Court Marshal also visited her home but was not able to locate her.

On April 21, the defendant finally contacted the Probation Office and told them she called because she heard they were looking for her. She was then informed by the Probation Office that she was to be in court on Friday, April 22 for her hearing. Tagaloa did appear in court.

When the defendant’s case was called, Kruse then rescheduled her case to Monday, April 25, so that the court could figure out what they should do with the defendant.

When the defendant’s case was called on that Monday, Tagaloa did not appear. When asked by Kruse on the whereabouts of his client, White told the court she was not present.

The court then issued a bench warrant to arrest Tagaloa and ordered a forfeiture of her bond.

Samoa News understands the defendant provided a urine test sample to the probation office immediately after her hearing last Friday, and the result was positive for methamphetamine.

Tagaloa was remanded in custody without bond, and she will appear in court in August for her next hearing.