Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 30-year-old man was picked up on an arrest warrant on the allegation that he unlawfully entered the home of a family and stole several items including power tools, clothes and other personal belongings.

The government has filed two separate criminal cases against Aleni Uale, who is on probation for a similar offense, and made his initial appearance in Court last month.

In the first case, Uale is charged with stealing and second degree burglary, both class C felonies, punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years, a $5,000 fine or, pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to a maximum of $10,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

In the second case, he is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) — both felonies. Bond is set at $15,000.

Uale’s attorney asked for a reduction in bail to $5,000 surety for both cases; but the prosecutor argued against bail reduction in both cases, noting that Uale is not new to the court system, and his actions in these two cases show the type of person he is. The court agreed.

THE CASE

On Jan. 30, 2022, a woman reported to police that their Ottoville home had been burglarized by an unknown person, and a lot of personal belongings were stolen.

The suspect was later identified as Aleni Uale.

Police spoke to the defendant’s ex-wife who stated that her current boyfriend told her that items that were stolen from the Ottoville home were sold to a man in Vaitogi in exchange for drugs. Police also spoke to the boyfriend, who confirmed that the defendant gave him the items to sell for drugs. He further told police that the defendant also told him that the items were stolen from a house in Ottoville and he was planning to burglarize the house again and steal more items.

The defendant was apprehended by police at his girlfriend’s home in Pavai’a’i and was transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for investigation. When questioned, the defendant allegedly admitted that he robbed a home in Ottoville on the night of Jan. 29, 2022. He further stated that some of the items he stole were sold to a man from Vaitogi in exchange for drugs, while other items were sold to another friend for money and drugs.

The defendant also confirmed to investigators that he gave some of the stolen items to a man, who is the boyfriend of his ex-wife to sell for cash to buy drugs. He explained to investigators that his ex-wife’s new boyfriend had nothing to do with the burglary.

Before Uale was taken into custody, he was searched for weapons and illegal drugs. During the pat down, two clear baggies containing a white crystalline substance, which later tested positive for meth were discovered in the defendant’s pants pocket.

Police also found one hand rolled joint in the same pocket and it later tested positive for THC, the active component in marijuana.

The defendant refused to speak to police regarding the drugs allegedly found in his possession.

JOSHUA LOKENI

The driver of a pick-up truck pulled over by police officers last month for failure to stop at a stop sign is now charged with violating local drug laws.

Joshua Lokeni was taken into custody when police discovered three small baggies containing a white crystalline substance in his possession.

The government claims that during routine patrol in Tafuna, two police officers saw a red pick-up truck coming from the Vaitogi road that made a right turn without stopping at a stop sign. Further, the pick-up almost collided with another vehicle coming from Iliili road heading east.

They pulled over the truck and the driver was identified as Joshua Lokeni, a 35-year old male from Petesa. He told police that he was in a rush to pick up his elderly father-in-law from home to take him to the hospital.

During the conversation, officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver’s breath. When asked if he’s under the influence of alcohol, the driver replied, “Yes, and I also got some stuff on me.” Officers asked the driver what stuff he’s referring to, the driver replied, “illegal meth”.

It was at that time the driver pulled out three small baggies containing a a white substance and handed them over to police officers. A pat down was then conducted and nothing else was found. The driver was later transported to the TPS for more investigation. His vehicle was also impounded.

After he was Mirandized, Lokeni told investigators that he understood his rights and he refused to make a statement. He told investigators he needed to speak to his attorney about what happened.

Lokeni made his initial appearance in court last month.

He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony, along with a class A misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

Bail is set at $5,000.

MAPU VILIAMU

A man allegedly found with a glass pipe containing methamphetamine (meth) inside his vehicle when police pulled him over for a traffic violation over a year ago was finally arrested and charged last month.

The question as to why the government waited so long to charge Mapu Viliamu in this case is still unanswered.

According to the government’s case, Viliamu was stopped for speeding in the Tafuna area on Jan. 25, 2021, in front of a store.

When asked for his driver’s license, Viliamu told police he had forgotten it at home, and no other form of photo identification was present.

Police then informed Viliamu that as a result they were going to impound his vehicle and he was also being transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Before Viliamu was transported to the TPS, police conducted a body search and nothing was found. However, a search of the vehicle by police discovered a black pouch between the driver’s and passenger’s seat. Inside the black pouch a glass pipe containing white powder was found.

The white powder was later tested and the result was positive for meth.

After being Mirandized, Viliamu refused to make a statement to police.

(It’s unknown why or when Viliamu was released without being charged.)

Viliamu made his initial appearance in Court last month, and is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony.

Bail is set at $5,000.

UFIMATA SAPATI

A 33-year-old man with several bench warrants, and who also owes a high amount in traffic fines, was arrested last month for drugs.

Ufimata Sapati was arrested for violating local drug laws and is now charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony.

The court set bail at $5,000 surety bond during his initial appearance in Court last week.

If he posts bond, Sapati is ordered to abide by the usual bond restrictions, and must pay his outstanding traffic fines totaling $580.

During his court proceedings, Sapati’s attorney asked the court to quash the two bench warrants the court issued for his client. He said Sapati was unaware of his court hearings.

The court reminded Sapati that whenever he is ordered to appear in court, it’s his duty to make the court his first priority. He was also advised to take this first incident as a lesson.

Sapati’s preliminary examination is next week.

According to the government, police stopped a vehicle in Nu’uuli area for false plates and too many lights on the vehicle.

Police impounded the vehicle and later discovered a clear glass pipe with a usable amount of meth inside. An inventory further uncovered one glass pipe containing a crystalline substance.

Two people were inside the truck when it was pulled over: a male driver, later identified as Pio Wilson, and Sapati, who was in the passenger seat.

The driver was found to not have a driver’s license or other identification on him.

Information from the Fagatogo dispatcher revealed that the vehicle is registered to Pio Wilson, who had a driver’s license that expired two years ago.

Wilson and Sapati were interviewed separately at the TPS.

Wilson is alleged to have told police that there was a small baggie containing meth that Sapati hid under his seat. Officers went back to the vehicle and found it.

He also told investigators he had no knowledge of the small baggie and drug paraphernalia that were found inside his vehicle, and everything belonged to Sapati.

The driver was cited for driving a vehicle with false plates and with an expired driver’s license. He was later released pending an investigation.

When confronted by police, Sapati verbally stated that he didn’t know who owned the glass pipes and the small baggie containing meth that were found inside the vehicle, saying he found the glass pipe when he entered the vehicle. Sapati refused to provide a written statement.

The crystalline substance from the glass pipe discovered on Sapati was tested and yielded positive for meth.

BACKGROUND

In 2013, the High Court sentenced Sapati to 5 years probation under the condition that he serve 20 months at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF), after being convicted of unlawful possession of marijuana.