Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 13, 2024, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a call from a concerned neighbor alleged that his neighbor was causing a disturbance by yelling profanities.

The suspect was arrested and charged with Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both.

According to the affidavit, police were contacted by a concerned neighbor around 5:26 pm regarding Maliefua Leao, who was causing a disturbance in their area by yelling out profanities and calling out “come let’s fight”.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival, they saw a lot of people standing outside their houses, and who showed them where the suspect went.

Officers also met up with the neighbor who made the call to report the incident.

The reporter said, “he was chilling inside his house and he suddenly heard someone shouting out profanities in Samoan and calling out ‘come let’s fight’.”

He explained he walked out and saw it was Leao so he contacted TPS.

On the same date, the police officers also interviewed another witness who is Leao’s sister-in-law.

She stated that she scolded the defendant for making her daughter cry but when she walked away the defendant he started shouting profanities. Her husband then came out to calm Leao down but the defendant tried to fight with her husband.

The suspect was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Leao was Mirandized and refused to make a statement.

He was transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TFC) to be confined.

The defendant is identified as 27 year-old, U.S National

TIMA LOPA

A concerned parent from Vailoa contacted the TPS concerning her son who was allegedly drunk and causing a disturbance by shouting profanities in their home.

The suspect was apprehended and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300; and,

Count 2: Underage Consumption of Alcohol — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300.

The defendant’s bail was set at $300.

According to the affidavit, on February 9, 2024 at about 11:22 pm, TPS received a call from a concerned mother from the village of Vailoa regarding her son, Tima Lopa who came home intoxicated and caused disturbance by shouting out profanities.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival they observed the door of the residence was broken.

Inside the house, the father was trying to calm down the suspect who was screaming out loud repeatedly. The police officers proceeded to apprehend Tima Lopa  and placed him inside the police unit.

The affidavit stated that one of the officers on scene interviewed both parents. They explained “they were at home when the son (suspect) came home crying and pissed off because he [had] lost his phone”.

The parents said that they tried to calm him down but he was so angry and started making unreasonable noises and shouting out the Samoan cry (Fa’aumu) several times.

As a result, Mr. Lopa’s mother contacted the TPS for assistance regarding the said matter while his father was trying to hold back their son.

Upon arrival at the station, police officers Mirandized the suspect and he refused to make a statement.

During the booking process, police officers found out that the suspect was 20 years old, under the legal age of 21 years-old to consume alcohol in the Territory.

He was booked and confined at the TCF to await his initial appearance at the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a U.S National.