Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 35-year-old man was picked up with an arrest warrant on the allegation that he unlawfully entered the home of a family and stole several items including power tools, clothes and other personal belongings.

The government has filed two separate criminal cases against Alfred Viatele, a.k.a Feleti Vitale, who is on probation for a similar offense, made his initial appearance in District Court two weeks ago.

In the first case, Vitale is charged with stealing and second degree burglary, both class C felonies, punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years, a $5,000 fine or, pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to a maximum of $10,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

In the second case, he is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine — both felonies. Bond is set at $15,000.

Vitale’s attorney asked for a reduction in bail to $5,000 surety for both cases; but the prosecutor argued against bail reduction in both cases, noting that Vitale is not new to the court system, and his actions in these two cases show the type of person he is. The court agreed.

THE CASE

On May 28, 2020, a woman reported to police that their Ottoville home had been burglarized by an unknown person, and a lot of personal belongings were stolen. A week later, a woman who claimed to be Vitale’s ex-wife notified police that she heard rumors that her ex-husband, Vitale had something to do with the burglary in Ottoville.

Police spoke to the defendant’s ex-wife who stated that her current boyfriend told her that items that were stolen from the Ottoville home were sold to a man in Vaitogi in exchange for drugs. Police also spoke to the boyfriend, who confirmed that the defendant gave him the items to sell for drugs. He further told police that the defendant also told him that the items were stolen from a house in Ottoville and he was planning to burglarize the house again and steal more items.

The defendant was apprehended by police at his girlfriends’s home in Pavaiai and was transported to the Tafuna Police Station for investigation. When questioned, the defendant allegedly admitted that he broke into a home in Ottoville and took a number of things on the night of May 27, 2020. He further stated that some of the items he stole were sold to a man from Vaitogi in exchange for drugs while others were sold at Le Aute for more drugs.

The defendant also confirmed to investigators that he gave some of the stolen items to a man, who is the boyfriend of his ex-wife to sell for cash to buy drugs. He explained to investigators that his ex-wife’s new boyfriend had nothing to do with the burglary.

Before Vitale was taken into custody, he was searched for weapons and illegal drugs. During the pat down, two clear baggies containing a white crystalline substance, which later tested positive for meth were discovered in the defendant’s pants pocket.

Police also found one hand rolled joint in the same pocket and it later tested positive for marijuana.

The defendant refused to speak to police regarding the drugs allegedly found in his possession.