Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 24, 2026, a man was accused of repeated sexual assault of his 19-year-old stepdaughter and her 12-year-old sister.

The suspect was later charged with:

Count 1, 5, 9, & 13 Rape (DV), a class B felony punishable by imprisonment by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than 15 years, or a fine not less than $150;

Count 2, 6, 10, 14, 17, & 20: Sodomy (DV), a class B felony punishable by imprisonment by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than 15 years, or a fine not less than $150:

Count 3, 7,11, 15, 16,18, & 21: Deviate Sexual Assault (DV), a class C felony punishable by imprisonment of not more than seven years, a fine not more than $5,000, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 4, 8, 12,16, 19, & 22: Sexual Abuse in the First Degree (DV), a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment for not more than five years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both; and,

Count 23, 24, & 25: Child Molesting (DV), a class A felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years without probation or parole, or death, and a fine of not less than $150.

The defendant was held without bail.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the victims and also the minor involved in this case.)

According to the court affidavit, the 19-year-old victim was interviewed at the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) at approximately 8:12 p.m. During the interview, she provided both a verbal and written statements detailing several alleged incidents involving her stepfather.

The victim told investigators that the first alleged assault occurred shortly after her high school graduation on June 5, 2024. She stated that she was in her bedroom when the defendant approached her. According to her account, he forced her to remove her clothing and then engaged in sexual conduct with her against her will.

The victim told police that another alleged incident occurred on Aug. 18, 2025, which was her birthday. She stated that she was again forced to remove her clothing and was sexually assaulted.

The most recent allegation involving the 19-year-old reportedly occurred on July 24, 2026, between approximately 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

According to the affidavit, the defendant called the victim into a room and allegedly asked her to choose whether she or her younger sister would have sexual intercourse with him first.

The victim alleged that the defendant then grabbed her by the hand and pushed her onto a bed. She told investigators that he removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her. After the alleged assault, the victim stated that the defendant instructed her to take a shower.

The affidavit also stated that when the victim came out of the shower, she allegedly saw her 12-year-old sister pulling up her pants while the defendant was walking away from her. The older sister told investigators that she immediately believed something had happened to her sister.

The 19-year-old subsequently entered the room and explained that the defendant followed her into the room and again engaged in unwanted sexual conduct. She told investigators that the defendant pulled away her towel and sexually assaulted her.

Throughout her account, the victim reportedly told investigators that she attempted to resist the defendant by pushing him away. However, she alleged that he repeatedly used physical force to prevent her from getting away.

Detectives also interviewed the 12-year-old victim, who reportedly described several separate incidents involving the same defendant.

According to the younger victim, she told investigators that the first incident occurred sometime in early June 2024 after she returned home from school. She reportedly went into a room to change her clothes. When she came out, she allegedly saw the defendant untying curtains. According to her statement, he called her over and forced her to remove her clothing before engaging in sexual conduct with her.

The minor also described another alleged incident in November 2024. She reportedly told investigators that the incident occurred after she arrived home from school and that she was again forced to remove her clothing before the defendant engaged in sexual conduct with her.

The affidavit also contains an allegation concerning July 24, 2026. The 12-year-old reportedly told investigators that she was forced to remove her pants while the defendant engaged in sexual conduct with her.

The victims' mother was also interviewed by police during the investigation.

According to the victims’ mother, she stated that she had not been aware that her boyfriend was allegedly engaging in sexual contact with her daughters. She reportedly told investigators that she had confronted him several times because she had suspicions, but she did not know that the alleged conduct was actually taking place.

As the investigation continued, police contacted Social Services at approximately 9 p.m. on July 24. Social Services personnel were briefed on the allegations and became involved in the case.

A social worker coordinated sexual assault forensic examinations of both victims in cooperation with a physician at the OB/GYN Clinic. Police escorted the two victims and their mother to the clinic, where they were also met by Social Services personnel.

According to the affidavit, the forensic examination for the 19-year-old was rescheduled for July 27, while the report concerning the younger victim was expected to be available by that time.

Following the Social Services assessment, both victims were taken to a shelter for protection and support.

The defendant was subsequently transported to the FP,S where investigators informed him of the allegations against him.

The suspect was advised of his Miranda rights at approximately 11:25 a.m. and waived those rights, indicating that he was willing to provide a statement and answer questions from detectives.

During the interview, the defendant denied the allegations made by both victims.

He reportedly expressed surprise that the 19-year-old had accused him and claimed that she had previously made false allegations of rape against him. He also claimed that the older victim had admitted that her aunt instructed her to fabricate the allegations around the time of her high school graduation.

The defendant denied the other incidents described by the two victims.

He reportedly told investigators that both girls had simply woken up late that morning and were watching television.

When questioned about his whereabouts earlier on July 24, the defendant stated that he had been at home and left only after his wife returned at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Investigators also questioned him about the allegation that the older victim had caught him performing oral sex on the minor. The defendant declined to provide a direct answer to that question, instead indicating that he was in a disadvantaged position regarding the matter.

Following the interview, the defendant was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility for 48 hours while awaiting his appearance in District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 42-year-old citizen of Samoa.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on July 27, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]