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Father of six pleads guilty to sexually abusing 13-year-old girl

American Samoa High Court building
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 41-year-old father of six, accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl, has pled guilty.

Onosa’i Molesi, who is out on a $10,000 surety bond, appeared in court last week for a Change of Plea hearing. Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill represented Molesi, while prosecuting was Assistant Attorney General Laura Garvey.

Molesi was initially charged with two counts of first degree sexual abuse, one count of deviate sexual assault, and felonious restraint — all felonies — and a class A misdemeanor: endangering the welfare of a child.

Under a plea agreement with the government, which was accepted by the court, Molesi pled guilty to one count of first degree sexual abuse. With his guilty plea, Molesi admits that on Sept. 21, 2017 he touched the breast of a 13-year-old girl in a sexual manner.

The incident was reported to police by the victim's mother who, in her written statement, said Molesi is their neighbor and her husband’s friend, and he comes to their home to watch TV with her husband almost every night.

On the night of the incident, the victim’s parents were not home, they were at a church meeting, leaving the victim and her young siblings alone. Around 10p.m, Molesi went to the victim’s home to watch TV, and found her sleeping alone on the couch in the living room.

It was at that time Molesi touched the victim’s breast. The victim woke up and found Molesi sitting beside her. She screamed and told Molesi to get out and Molesi, who was intoxicated, stood up peacefully and left the house.

The victim told her parents what happened when they came home, and her mother filed the complaint immediately.

Molesi will be sentenced June 6th.