MOTHER PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGE

A mother who attempted to smuggle a quantity of methamphetamine into the Tafuna Correctional Facility where her husband is incarcerated will be sentenced next month after admitting her crime to the court. The drugs were contained in cut up straws and hidden inside a bar of soap brought into the jail.

Sula Tui was charged with unlawful possession of the controlled substance, methamphetamine and unlawful possession of controlled substance methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In a plea agreement with the government, the defendant has pled guilty to  unlawful possession of controlled substance of methamphetamine and in return the government moves to dismiss the intent to distribute count.

The drugs, say court records, were for defendant’s husband, Samuel Wright who was arrested for his role in the armed robbery of the Faga’alu Gold Conda store last year. 

According to the government’s case, detectives were informed that correction officers may have found what appeared to be meth in a package of soap, along with a fluid lighter inside a toothpaste package. They were found during the search of a package that was  dropped off by the defendant for her husband.

The correction officers told the investigators that defendant left the jail while they searched through the package she dropped off. Police found two cut up straws with both sides sealed, containing a crystalline substance. Court filings say they went to defendant’s residence in Faga’alu but she was not there. Police contacted her and she agreed that she would go to the Central Police Station, which she did. It’s alleged that defendant arrived at the police station with her two children.

She told police her husband called her from jail to pick a package from his friend, which she did, and then dropped it off at the prison for him, according to court filings.

Police asked the defendant if she had knowledge there was ice in the package she was picking up, and she said yes. “Sam called her on her cell phone and told her there was Ice inside the soap.” Defendant said she told Wright that she was scared to drop off the package at the TCF but Wright told her not to worry the police would not find out.

The crystalline substance was tested using a reagent field test and yielded positive for methamphetamine.

The defendant told the court that she suspected something was not right with the package, but she took it anyway, however after she dropped off the package, she left, and when she received a call from the CID that’s when she knew her suspicions were right.

Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond asked the defendant if she knew there was meth in the package and she said yes.

The plea agreement was accepted and sentencing for the defendant is scheduled for March 5.

FEMALE SEX OFFENDER DENIES THE SEX CHARGES

Carmen Galumalemana Hunkin, 38, accused of having sex with a minor and facing charges of statutory rape, deviate sexual assault, sexual abuse first degree, sodomy and child endangerment was arraigned in High Court, where she denied the criminal charges against her.

Held on bail of $20,000 Hunkin pleaded not guilty to the sex charges and is scheduled to have her pre-trial conference next month. According to the government’s case, the sister of the alleged victim (referred to as “J.A.”) had first alerted the authorities because she was concerned with her 16-year-old brother’s change in behavior.

The sister said her brother had been a straight-A student, but lately would not go to school and was getting D’s and F’s. She also said he had begun running away from home.

Investigating officer Det. Vaivasa Wells spoke to the sister, as well as friends, who alleged they had witnessed the pair together, and one said the two were seen having intercourse.

According to court documents, the defendant stated she was aware that she could be charged with statutory rape if the relationship was revealed, that the relationship began in Oct. 2013, and the last time she had sex with J.A. was July 20, 2014.