Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 3, 2026, a man called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported an alleged burglary at his home in Petesa.

Two suspects, Stone Filisi and Peato Masuisui were later arrested and charged as follows:

Filisi was charged with:

Count 1: Burglary in the First Degree, a class B felony, punishable b y imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than 15 years; and,

Count 2: Stealing, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both.

Masuisui was charged with:

Count 1: Receiving Stolen Property, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both; and,

Count 2: Stealing, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both.

Both defendants were held without bail.

According to court documents, the incident was reported during the early morning hours, when a homeowner contacted the TPS to report that someone had unlawfully entered his residence and stolen several personal belongings.

Police officers responded to the scene shortly after receiving the call. While en route to the residence, officers observed two men walking not far from the reported crime scene. The individuals were later identified as the defendants, Masuisui and Filisi.

Court records stated that officers briefly stopped the two men and questioned them regarding their whereabouts. During the encounter, officers noticed that one of the individuals was carrying a bottle of liquor. After a brief inspection, officers returned the bottle and allowed both men to continue on their way after they stated they were heading home.

Officers continued to the victim's residence where they met with the homeowner. The victim escorted officers to the area of the house where the break-in allegedly occurred.

According to the affidavit, officers observed an open bathroom window located on the rear portion of the residence. The victim then led investigators to a bedroom where he believed several personal items had been stolen. Photographs of the scene were taken as part of the investigation.

After examining the residence, officers developed the two men they had encountered earlier as possible suspects due to their proximity to the scene during the time the burglary was believed to have occurred.

Police subsequently launched a search of the surrounding area. Two officers conducted a foot patrol through bush trails in Petesa while other officers patrolled the main roadway using a police vehicle.

A short time later, officers located both individuals in an area where they were frequently observed by residents. The men were asked to accompany officers to the TPS for questioning, and both reportedly agreed.

At the station, investigators separated the two men and conducted individual interviews.

According to court documents, Filisi was Mirandized in the Samoan language. He acknowledged understanding his rights and agreed to provide both verbal and written statements to investigators.

During questioning, Filisi denied any involvement in the burglary. He told investigators that he had not been near the victim's residence and claimed that he had simply encountered Masuisui and another acquaintance while searching for a cigarette in Petesa.

FIlisi further stated that he noticed tension between the two individuals and decided to accompany Masuisui elsewhere.

However, the investigation took a different turn when officers interviewed Masuisui.

According to police, Masuisui was also Mirandized and agreed to provide a statement. During the interview, he allegedly implicated Filisi in the burglary.

Masuisui told investigators that he and Filisi were together near the victim's residence during the commission of the crime. He claimed that Filisi approached him with a plan to break into a yellow two-story house located in Petesa.

Masuisui allegedly told investigators that the defendant entered the residence while he remained outside acting as a lookout. Moreover, he provided detailed information regarding how the burglary was allegedly carried out.

According to Masuisui, Filisi approached a bathroom window located on the rear side of the residence and used a pocket knife to remove the sliding window from its frame. Once the window was detached, the defendant allegedly climbed through the opening and entered the home.

He then stated that while he remained outside, Filisi moved throughout the residence using a flashlight because the interior of the home was dark.

Investigators were told that Filisi allegedly searched several rooms before passing various items through the bathroom window to the witness waiting outside.

Among the items allegedly taken from the residence were a gold keychain, a black XL memory card, a San Francisco souvenir keychain, an Iraqi Freedom badge, and a blue Orlando snapback cap.

The officers later recovered the stolen property and presented the items to the victim, who positively identified them as belonging to him.

Based on information gathered during the investigation, police determined that sufficient evidence existed to arrest Filisi in connection with the burglary.

The defendants were subsequently both booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, where they remained confined pending his appearance before the District Court.

The matter is now before the court for further proceedings.

The affidavits were filed in the District Court on June 09, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]