Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 18, 2025, a concerned neighbor called the Faga’itua Police Substation (FPS) concerning a young man who was allegedly causing a disturbance in their village.

The suspect was later apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Underage Consumption of Alcohol Beverages, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $600, or both; and,

Count 2: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $600, or both.

There was no set bail for the defendant.

According to the court affidavit, on Apr. 18th, at about 8:21 p.m., a woman called the FPS to report a young man making unreasonable loud noises which alerted the neighbors. Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene, they found that a young man, Ricky Sipa, had been detained by neighbors in a vehicle. The suspect was apprehended from the scene and placed inside the police unit.

During the apprehension, the suspect reeked of alcoholic beverages.

The woman who made the call verbally stated that around 8:17 p.m., while washing her dishes in the kitchen of her residence, which is right next to the road, she heard someone yelling out loud in profanities multiple times along with a Samoan Warrior Cry (fa’aūmu).

Neighbors verbally stated the same information and explained that they couldn’t sleep due to the disrespectful unreasonable loud noises. Sipa was later discovered to be under the legal drinking age of 21.

During the drive to the station, Sipa stated that he had consumed about 12 cans of beer.

The suspect was later booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 20-year-old U.S National.