Kansas City, MO — A former NFL player from American Samoa, described by federal prosecutors as “an unlawful user of illegal drugs” will remain in custody following a detention hearing last week Thursday at the federal court in Kansas City, Missouri, according to court documents.

Saousoalii P. Siavii, Jr., 40, also known as “Junior”, of Independence, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint filed early last week, with three counts of being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms.

The complaint alleges that “Siavii, an unlawful user of illegal drugs, has been arrested on three occasions in which he was in possession of both illegal drugs and loaded firearms,” said prosecutors and court documents.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is an unlawful drug user to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition, according to the US Justice Department (USDOJ).

During last week Thursday’s “preliminary and detention hearing”, prosecutors presented testimonies by detectives from the Independence Police Department dealing with Siavii’s state criminal case on possession of both illegal drugs and firearms.

Prosecutors, who sought to detain Siavi’i without bail, also presented two other exhibit evidence, including a timeline of Siavi’i’s criminal activities, according to federal court records.

Following arguments by both sides, the court granted the government’s motion for pretrial detention. The “court found reason to believe that no condition or combination of conditions of release would reasonably assure the safety of any other person or persons and the community.“

 “Defendant [is] ordered detained without bail pending trial,” according to court records.

US District Court Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts, who presided over the hearing, also issued a separate three-page order outlining the reasons for pre-trial detainment, which includes that the defendant is subject to a lengthy period of incarceration if convicted; has a prior criminal history; history of violence or use of weapons; and lacks “stable employment”.

There’s no information on court records about when Siavii’s next court appearance will be, but it does state that his case is transferred to a federal grand jury for any further proceedings.

In announcing the arrest and criminal charges against Siavi’i, the USDOJ points out that the charges contained in the complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Furthermore, evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

 (See Samoa News Aug. 28th edition for more details of this case.)