Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 23, 2024, at about 1:54am, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation requesting assistance with her uncle, Tyrone McFall, who she said was disturbing the peace at their home in Faleniu. It was revealed that McFall also allegedly damaged her vehicle.

The defendant was charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300. but not less than $150, or both, and

Count 2: Property Damage in the Second Degree (DV) — a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1000, but not less than $150, or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $500.

When police officers approached the caller’s home in Faleniu, they observed a male individual walking towards the house. Police officers immediately stopped the car and spoke to the individual who “admitted that he was Tyrone McFall and he was heading back home to make amends with his sister.”

Police officers were greeted by McFall’s niece, the woman who contacted the TPS for assistance. She explained that “she didn’t know what had happened but her mother woke her up when her uncle damaged her rear car windshield with a rock causing it to shatter.”

She presented photos of the damage that was done to her vehicle. Police officers then asked her to identify the male individual in the police unit and her reply was “her Uncle Tyrone McFall”.

Officers interviewed the caller’s mother, Marina McFall to gather more information regarding the incident.

M. McFall explained that her daughter arrived at home at about 11 pm and went into her bedroom. At about 1am, as M. McFall got up to use the restroom, she heard her brother T. McFall outside yelling and making a fuss outside. She asked T. McFall what was going on but he continued to call out to her daughters, telling them to open the door and claiming that he could hear them laughing at him in their bedroom.

According to the affidavit, “M. McFall asked T. McFall if he was using illegal drugs again and T. McFall replied yes.

M. McFall told him to go sleep where he gets his illegal drugs from.”

However, M. McFall let T. McFall into the house, opening the backdoor that was not locked. She then led him to the living room and presented the bed for him to sleep on but T. McFall was upset and began to yell profanities.

The suspect then “walked out of the house and grabbed the chair that was outside and struck her daughter’s vehicle.”

Police officers transported the suspect to the TPS, where the defendant was Mirandized and refused to make a statement.

The defendant was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to be confined and await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The suspect was identified as a 32-year-old citizen of Samoa.

AUELUA TE’O

On February 24, 2024, the Tafuna Police Station received a call regarding a male individual identified as Auelua Te’o (also known as Mataese) who was allegedly cutting down trees with a machete and yelling profanities at a woman and her husband in the presence of their children.

The defendant was charged with one count of Public Peace Disturbance — a class B misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500., or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $500.

According to the affidavit, when police officers arrived at the scene, they spoke with the victim, who told them “this is an ongoing matter” where Te’o causes a disturbance on their land.

The victim said “she told the suspect to stop coming where they reside because they have a pending case at the court regarding the lands.” However, the suspect continued to curse at her and her husband, “walking around and yelling profanities while holding a machete.”

She further stated that this is the second day that the defendant came to their house and claimed that it was his land.

Police officers also spoke with the victim’s husband who said that the suspect’s “threatening behavior” was shown in the presence of his children.

He further stated that the suspect does not live in the area but he started to cut down the trees behind their house. After politely requesting that the suspect leave due to the pending land dispute case, the suspect walked towards him, his wife, and their kids with the machete in hand and continued to yell profanities.

It was then that the TPS was contacted as the victim and her family were concerned for their safety because the “male individual was getting out of control”.

The suspect was Mirandized and provided his statement. The suspect stated that “he didn’t do anything, he was just there to clean their land but he has nothing against them.” The suspect said that he was not causing a disturbance with the victim and her husband.

The defendant was booked and confined at the TCF awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant was identified as a 63-year-old US National.