FORMER MAYOR CHARGED IN SEX CASE REJECTS PLEA DEAL

Chief Justice Michael Kruse has scheduled a Jury Trial for former Fagatogo Mayor So’osemea Tinae, charged in connection with raping a 15-year-old girl. Tinae is facing charges of rape and sexual assault, which are both felonies. Tinae was in court last week for his pretrial conference and Assistant Attorney General Tiffany Oldfield asked the court for a jury trial date in this matter, as the defendant has rejected the plea offer by the government.

According to the government’s case the incident came to light when someone contacted the police to report that a suspicious commercial vehicle was parked near a container near the Juvenile Detention Center. It’s alleged that the person, who reported the incident, observed a young female and an older male in a secluded area.

The government’s case claims that when the police arrived at the scene they saw So’osemea and the 15-year old in the aiga bus and the officers took them into the police station for questioning. The girl told the police that she had sex with defendant against her will. Then police officers contacted the Criminal Investigation Division and Detective Vasa Wells was assigned to investigate this matter further.

According to the government’s case, the defendant “threatened to kill” the victim if she told anyone what happened.

The rape charge is a class B felony, punishable in jail from five to 15 years while the sexual assault is a class C felony that carries a jail term of up to seven years and or a fine of up to $5,000. This matter has been scheduled on June 23, 2015 for his jury trial.

This case was first reported in Samoa News, Oct. 28, 2014.

SENTENCE FOR FORMER MANAGER LEPUIAI CONTINUED, NEW INFO UNCOVERED

Sentencing in the government’s case of the former manager of Pacific Shipping Services (PSS) charged on allegations of misappropriating company funds for his personal use has been postponed to later this month as defense counsel has new information to present before the court.

Lepuiai Allen Mayer is accused of using close to $400,000 belonging to PSS, but he pled guilty and admitted to embezzling $200,000 from the company.

He was charged with embezzlement, forgery and stealing which are all class C felonies, but in the plea deal he signed with the Attorney General’s office, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, and in return the government moved to dismiss the remaining charges.

Embezzlement is a class C felony punishable by up to seven years in jail, a fine of up to $50,000, a fine equal to twice the amount gained from the commission of said crime up to $20,000 — or both fine and jail time.

This case was first reported in Samoa News, Aug. 11, 2014

MAN ARRESTED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE

A man accused of assaulting his wife made his initial appearance in the District Court yesterday on charges of third degree assault and public peace disturbance. Samoa News is withholding the defendant’s name to protect the identity of the victim in this matter.

Court filings say that when police arrived at the scene, they noticed clothes scattered all over the house floor. The wife told the police that they had argued, which ended when her husband punched her on the back and on the chest twice. The woman told the police that it was not the first time her husband had assaulted her due to his jealousy issues. She also told the police that she was assaulted in the presence of her children.

Emergency Medical Services was contacted for treatment of the victim and police also saw firsthand bruises on the victim’s arms, her back and chest. Court filings further say that Social Workers were also contacted for assistance. The defendant was called to come into the police station for questioning, and when he showed up, he was booked and arrested for PPD and third degree assault, for domestic violence.

TULIESE TALIU TO ENTER GUILTY PLEA IN DRUG CASE

A Faga’alu man, who’s facing charges of unlawful possession of controlled substance of marijuana, possession of arms without a license and possession of a prohibited weapon is scheduled to enter a guilty plea with the government this week.

According to the government’s case, last week, Detective Amituana’i Filemoni was heading west bound when he observed a gold sedan overtaking two vehicles in a no-passing zone in Avau. Filemoni activated his police unit red lights and went after the vehicle and the driver pulled over in Avau. The defendant identified himself to the police and immediately exited the vehicle.

 Defendant told police he did not have a valid driver’s license nor any sort of identification, and police then impounded the vehicle.

During the inventory of the vehicle, Detective Johnny Paselio noted that three live rounds of ammunition were observed in plain view, and when the defendant was asked about the ammunition he denied having any knowledge of it. 

Court filings say that the discovery of the live ammunition in plain view within the impounded vehicle called for a search of the whole vehicle for the possibility of any weapons within the car. Police found a black waist pouch zipper bag underneath the front passenger side seat, which contained a plastic medicine bottle with 22 caliber ammunitions which defendant later admitted belonged to him. Police also discovered a glass smoking pipe and four marijuana joints which Taliu claimed were his. The live ammunition found was later identified as 38 special ammunition, and of the three discovered, one was a hollow point bullet, gold in color.