Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 3, 2024, a man contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report a male individual threatening him at his workplace.

The suspect, Jerry Malaga, was apprehended and charged with the following:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance — class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $300.

According to the affidavit, on February 3, 2024, TPS received a call from a man working at the Paramount compound regarding a male individual who allegedly threatened him and challenged him to fight.

Police were dispatched to the scene and upon arrival met with the victim, who briefed the officers on what had happened.

The victim stated that he was finishing up his work inside the work compound when surprisingly an intoxicated male individual came into the compound. When he approached the individual, he told him “that no one is allowed to be in the premises and the individual got angry and verbally threatened him into [sic] a fist fight”.

The victim said he walked away and immediately contacted the TPS for assistance regarding the incident. The victim also stated that the suspect was told by the owner not to come to the premises anymore but he refused to obey.

Police officers were directed by the victim to where the suspect was and he was apprehended and placed inside the police unit for transportation to the TPS.

Malaga was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await his appearance at the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 22 year-old, U.S National.

PPD IN THE HOME

 On February 3, 2024, the TPS received a call reported that a man was causing a disturbance at a home and threatening to “chop off” his brother-in-law's head.

Afa Elenio was arrested and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than 15 days, a fine of not more than $300, or both.

Defendant’s bail was set at $300.

According to the affidavit, on February 3, 2024 at about 5 pm, Elenio was disturbing the peace at his residence in Ottoville. The matter was called in by Iesepela Elenio (suspect’s mother). Police were dispatched to the scene.

An investigation revealed that the suspect came home intoxicated and started shouting loudly in the house and yelling profanities at his father. The suspect also threatened to “chop off” his brother-in-law's head when he got home.

When officers arrived at the scene, they met up with the father of the suspect, Malologa Elenio, who was interviewed.

The suspect’s father verbally stated that “he is tired of the suspect’s attitude of disrespecting him and his wife.”

He explained that “the suspect woke up in the morning then left the house.”

When returned home, “he was drunk and started getting mad at his sister’s husband for not making food.

“The suspect then went and threw out the chicken that was inside the sink and then came back and said he will chop off his brother-in-law’s head when he gets home.”

The father said he had told Afa to calm down but he started yelling profanities at him and telling him that he shouldn’t be cooking food for his “damn brother-in-law".

Suspect’s father then told his wife to contact the police station for assistance because “he does not want Afa to get into a fight with his daughter’s husband when they get home.”

The suspect was apprehended and transported to TPS for further investigation. While transporting the suspect a strong odor of alcohol was emitted from the suspect’s breath and clothes.

The affidavit revealed that the suspect was too intoxicated to be Mirandized.

“He was then booked and transported” to the TCF to be confined until his court appearance.

The defendant is identified as a 27 year-old and a citizen of Samoa.