Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On May 15, 2026, a 78-year-old business owner appeared before the District Court facing criminal charges following allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl in December 2025.

The defendant was later charged with:

Count 1: Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a class B misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed six months, a fine not more than $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree ( C Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, a fine not more than dollars $300, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

(Samoa News has withheld names of those involved to protect the identity of the victim/ minor in this case.)

According to the court affidavit, on Dec. 1, 2025, investigators were assigned to investigate a complaint brought forth by school officials regarding a sexual assault on one of the students.

VICTIM’S 1ST INTERVIEW

As part of the investigation, the victim was interviewed in the presence of her mother at the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS). The victim stated that on Dec. 1, 2025 at approximately 6:15 a.m, she was waiting for a bus to go to school when she went inside the laundromat to buy a soda. After paying for her soda, she was about to leave when the suspect called out to her to come back.

The suspect then grabbed her hand and pulled her into a storage closet for cleaning supplies near the cashier’s desk. Once inside the room, the suspect told her not to tell anyone that he was offering $100.00 to touch her inappropriately.

The victim stated that she refused but the suspect slapped her buttocks and touched her inappropriately. She said she slapped the suspect’s hand and ran outside.

The victim claimed that she told her friend while they were on their way to school  of the incident. Upon arrival at school, the victim reported the incident to the school's security officer. The security officer took the victim to the laundromat to point out the suspect. The victim stated that she was scared to exit the vehicle but she could see through the windows and was able to positively identify the suspect as the person who allegedly assaulted her.

During the interview, the victim cried and appeared scared. She was noticeably uncomfortable when recounting the incident. It took her almost 30 minutes to explain the incident due to her emotional state.

The authorities also interviewed the school’s security guard.

She stated that on Dec. 1, 2026 when the school bell rang, she saw the victim walking towards her, and then informed her that while waiting for the school bus that morning, she went to buy a soda from the laundromat. When she was about to leave the owner of the laundromat grabbed her hand and touched her inappropriately. She (security guard) then reported the incident to school officials, after she took the victim to identify the suspect.

INTERVIEW OF THE SUSPECT

The suspect was interviewed on the same day at the TPS. He was Mirandized and acknowledged that he understood his rights and agreed to make a statement.

The suspect alleged that the victim entered the laundromat asking for a lighter and they discussed whether she smokes cigarettes. He then gave the victim a lighter.

The suspect claimed that he is a family friend to the victim’s family and would not do what he is being accused of, especially because “she’s (victim) big and he is old”.

The suspect was defensive and loud during the interview.

VICTIM’S 2ND INTERVIEW

On December 2, 2025, the victim was interviewed again about the lighter mentioned by the suspect. The victim stated she did not mention the lighter in the prior interview because she did not want her mom to know she smokes.

She then told the officers that when she asked for the lighter, the suspect told her to follow her into a room and asked if she wanted a soda in which she said yes. The suspect told her to come to him and he grabbed her hand and told her not to tell anybody that he was offering her $100.00 to touch her inappropriately.

The victim also claimed she said no and told him that she only needed a lighter. The suspect then slapped her buttocks and insisted that he wanted “just one touch”.

She told the suspect that she was running late for school and the suspect gave her the lighter ,which she took and then left the laundromat.

While walking away with her friend, she told her friend about what had happened. The victim cried and was visibly uncomfortable when recounting the incident.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on May 15, 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.]