A federal judge in Alaska has declared as “complex and unusual” the U.S. Justice Department cases against an American Samoan accused of making false tax claims against the U.S. government by using tax forms from people residing in American Samoa who are not entitled to tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason at the federal court in Anchorage rescheduled for later this year, the federal case against Pepe Anetipa, who was charged early last month under a 28 count indictment.

Federal prosecutors allege that Anetipa filed falsified tax returns claiming total refunds of at least $202,859.

More than a week ago, Anetipa’s attorney, Assistant Federal Defender Jamie McGrady filed a motion, asking the court to declare the case “complex and unusual” under federal law. She argued that discovery consists of over 8,000 pages of discovery, plus the defendant lives in Kent, Wash. The court set a hearing for Jan. 22.

However, on Jan. 21, the defense filed a new motion, which was immediately granted by the court, to appear telephonically from her home in the city of Kent, instead of a personal appearance for the Jan. 22 hearing.

McGrady argued that travel from Washington to Alaska requires at least one overnight stay and at present Anetipa “is indigent and cannot afford to purchase transportation from Washington to Alaska.”

Appearing telephonically will “conserve economic resources,” the defense further argued.

Court documents state that during the Jan. 22 hearing, the court granted the defense motion to declare the case “complex and unusual” and the original trial date of Feb. 9 has been reset for May 29. A pre trial conference is now set for May 18th.

The 28 counts against the defendant are for the 28 people from American Samoa, who’s tax records and information was used by Anetipa to prepare and filed false tax returns with the IRS.

Anetipa’s case comes at the start of the 2014 tax season filing in American Samoa with local government officials again reminding tax payers not to file taxes in the U.S. because they do not qualify, as long as their income was earned while employed in the territory.

The case has became a victory of sorts for some local residents who told Samoa News that they have abided to warnings given over the years not to file taxes in the U.S. despite being tempted by family members or friends who filed taxes in the U.S. then get huge tax refunds.

“I know people, some of them from my church, who told me I was stupid for not filing off island and listening to phony warnings by the government over the years not to file taxes in the U.S, “ said one of the callers to Samoa News. “With the case against Anetipa, I feel vindicated and those who filed off island are now scared about what will happen to them and if they will be targeted by the feds to get their money back.”

At least three callers to Samoa News say they knew of Anetipa and people associated with her who had provided Anetipa with local tax information including the W2 tax records to file taxes in the U.S.