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Man charged with interfering with a police investigation

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A Malaeimi man suspected of burglarizing a home in Mesepa has been charged with interfering with a police investigation.

Alesana Filipo is facing two misdemeanor charges: public peace disturbance and interfering with a police investigation. He made his initial appearance in District Court this week, where District Court Judge Elvis P. Patea set bail at $300.

According to police, at around 10:43 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2019 the landlord contacted police about a burglary. An Asian couple rents the home in question.

When police arrived at the scene, they spoke to the landlord and in the middle of the conversation, a male, later identified as the defendant, entered the home uninvited and yelled at the landlord's son saying, he didn't break into the house.

Filipo, in the presence of police, then tried to pick a fight with the landlord's son, asking him, "What do you want?"

Even after police officers ordered him to get out of the house and leave the property, Filipo continued to threaten the landlord's son, clenching his fists and telling him, "You'll see what I'm going to do to you!"

Police officers arrested the defendant for interfering with their investigation.

According to the police affidavit, before Filipo was escorted out of the house, the Asian couple identified him as one of the people present when the Asian man was robbed two weeks before, while he was in possession of a bag containing $1,038 cash, three personal phones, and multiple identification cards.

If he's able to post bond, Filipo is ordered to stay away from the couple's home, and he is not to have any direct or indirect contact with the plaintiffs or any of the government witnesses.

Filipo is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 28 for a pretrial conference.