Pago Pago, American Samoa —Lemi Siolo was arrested last month after police allegedly discovered drugs in his possession and in his vehicle during a traffic violation stop.

Sio, who is on probation for a drug conviction 3 years ago, made his initial appearance in Court last month.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth); one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than five nor more than ten years and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $20,000, or both; along with one count of resisting arrest, a class D felony, punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine of $5,000, or both.

Bail is set $10,000.

THE CASE

On June 8, 2022, four police officers who were patrolling on the Leone public highway observed a pickup turning right onto a family property without any signal. Officers initiated a traffic stop.

Officers observed the driver’s door of the vehicle open and observed an unknown male (driver) exiting from the driver’s side and walking towards the passenger side of his vehicle. Officers approached the unknown male and observed the driver holding in his hand a small plastic container.

One of the officers recognized the vehicle description and its license plate from a prior incident during an earlier traffic enforcement.

A police officer instructed the driver to hand over the plastic container but the driver refused to cooperate. He swung the plastic container in an effort to throw it away but one of the officers caught it.

Officers asked the driver for his driver’s license, but the driver refused to comply, refusing to provide a valid driver’s license or any form of identification document.

Officers then informed the driver that his vehicle would be impounded and he was being detained at the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for further investigation. The driver told officers that he didn’t violated any traffic laws and he wanted to go home. However, after a confrontation with officers, the driver agreed to cooperate.

He was transported to the TPS for further investigation. His vehicle was also impounded by officers.

Siolo was patted down and officers discovered two small stamp-baggies containing white crystalline substance inside his underwear waistband and a glass pipe containing a white substance in Siolo’s front pocket. No drugs were found inside the small plastic container Siolo had in his hand, only 5 empty small baggies commonly used to pack meth.

An inventory of the vehicle was done in Siolo’s presence, and officers discovered a small baggie that contained green leafy substances in the armrest between the driver and the front passenger seats. Information regarding Siolo’s case was later transferred to the DPS Vice and Narcotics Unit for further investigation.

Both substances were tested with the white crystalline substance found positive for meth, and the green leafy substances found positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active compound in the controlled substance marijuana.

During the interview, the driver was identified as Lemi Siolo, the defendant in this matter. He was Mirandized where he stated that he understood and wished not to sign the first portion of the form and would sign on the second portion (waiver) to a verbal statement regarding the incident.

According to Siolo, he went to pick up a friend from his house in Malaeloa to help him with his plantation when another man standing in front of an a store in Futiga stopped his vehicle and asked him if he wanted to buy some stuff from him. He asked the man what stuff he was referring to and he whispered to him, “I got meth and weed if you want.”

Siolo told investigators that he bought meth and weed worth $50 from the man before he continued to pick up his friend.

BACKGROUND

In 2018, Siolo was sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of $2,000 after he was convicted for unlawful possession of meth. He was placed on probation for 5 years and ordered to serve a period of detention of 20 months in jail.

TOMSAI OPETAIA

A man was taken into custody last month after police picked him up for a public peace disturbance (PPD) matter in Happy Valley in the Tafuna area. During his arrest, cops discovered drugs in his possession.

Tomasi Opetaia who has a previous assault conviction from 2015, made his initial appearance in court last month.

Opetaia is charged with second-degree assault and unlawful possession of marijuana, both felonies; and two misdemeanors — PPD and third-degree assault.

Bail is set at $5,000.

THE CASE

Cops responded to a public peace disturbance in Happy Valley, Tafuna, after a woman contacted police for assistance, regarding an intoxicated man yelling profanities at her husband.

Police arrived and spoke to the caller who told them that it was around 6:21p.m when her husband came to pick her up, along with her children, in front of her husband’s parent’s house, when the confrontation occurred. According to the wife, her husband did not throw any punches during the assault.

Opetaia was apprehended outside of his truck and transported to the TPS for questioning.

When interviewed, Opetaia said that he assaulted the victim for blocking the road. He said it was the victim’s fault, and went on to describe an incident that had happened one hour prior to the current confrontation, where the victim’s vehicle had blocked his truck from leaving the parking lot of a store in Malaeimi. He said he waited for over an hour for the victim to come out and remove his vehicle.

The defendant also stated that the victim, during the confrontation had grabbed his neck and told him that he would kill him and his family if he bothered him again.

During his arrest, cops discovered a small stamp sized baggie inside his pants right pocket containing green leafy substance.

When questioned about the green leafy substance found in his possession, Opetaia told investigators that it was marijuana leaves he bought from another man for his own personal use.

FALETOLU ILAOA

A man who is on probation for stealing was arrested again by police on the allegation he violated local drug laws.

Faletolu Ilaoa was a passenger in a pick-up truck that was pulled over by police ton the early morning of June 20, 2022, in Malaeimi for traffic violations, and two glass pipes containing white crystalline substance were found in his pants pocket.

Ilaoa during the traffic stop tried to flee from officers by leaving the vehicle despite being told to stay inside it. He was apprehended near the scene.

A body search was conducted on Ilaoa where officers discovered two glass pipes containing white crystalline substance inside. The white crystalline substance was tested and was positive for meth.

Ilaoa told officers he got the two glass pipes containing meth from his friend for $50, and the reason he smoked meth is to give him strength while performing his work at his plantation.

Ilaoa is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, a felony, punishable by term of imprisonment from 5 to 10 years, a fine not more than $20,000, or both.

Bail is set at $5,000.

FAASEGA SAILI

A man accused of attempting to assault his brother’s wife while she was holding her two-year-old daughter was arrested last month.

Faasega Saili made his initial appearance in court last month where the court granted a motion from the defense attorney to release Saili on his own recognizance to await his next court appearance. Saili is not to make any direct or indirect contact with the victim and her family.

He is charged with third-degree assault, public peace disturbance (PPD), and endangering the welfare of a child, all class A misdemeanors, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

According to the government’s case, on June 9, police received a call regarding a PPD incident in Taputimu.

Upon arrival at the scene, according to the reporter, the wife of Saili’s brother, the confrontation started when she approached Saili about breaking inside their room and stealing items from it, including money, shoes and clothes.

Saili responded by allegedly yelling profanities at her before he pushed her against the house wall causing the victim to hit the back of her head on the side of the wall while she was holding her two-year-old daughter.

According to the victim, Saili was heavily intoxicated and was cussing at her. She claims that Saili walked over and tried to punch her, but she ran into her house and locked the door.

The victim’s husband was at work when the alleged incident took place.

According to the government, Saili was intoxicated when police approached him; and for the safety of the woman and the baby, he was arrested and detained to await his appearance in District Court.

When interviewed by police, Saili explained that he assaulted his brother’s wife because she was spreading lies in the village and church that he was selling drugs in the village.

Saili admitted that he assaulted his brother’s wife by pushing her towards the wall while she was holding her daughter, and cussing at her, out of anger.