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Probable cause found: Two drug cases bound over to High Court

American Samoa High Court building
ausage@samoanews.com

 

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Two cases against two men charged in drug related matters are now in High Court, after District Court Judge Elvis P. Patea found probable cause to bind them over, following a preliminary examination (PX) last week for each man.

Talosaga Willie is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a felony; while Solo Mareko is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine; and one count of unlawful possession of firearms - both felonies - and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition, a class A misdemeanor.

Willie, represented Assistant Public Defender Ryan Anderson has been released on a $5,000 surety bond while Mareko, represented by Assistant Public Defender Bob Stuart, remains in custody at the TCF, unable to post a $30,000 surety bond.

Two witnesses testified during the PX: Det. Sgt. Abel Penitusi for Willie’s case and Det. Samantha Lam Yuen for Mareko’s case.

WILLIE’S CASE

On Jan 12, 2020 cops entered the Afitu family compound in Ottoville to execute a search warrant for Ben Taulaga and an arrest warrant for Taulaga’s brother, Tomasi.

When they pulled up, cops observed three men standing in a corner behind the Siaumau mechanic shop. They were: Willie, Ben Taulaga and his brother Tomasi Taulaga.

The group looked like they were in the middle of a meeting that was interrupted, and they attempted to hide themselves from law enforcement. According to the government, all three men seemed nervous, especially the Taulaga brothers.

The trio was taken in for questioning.

A black truck that was at the Taulaga compound that day was later identified as Willie’s. It was later driven by Willie - accompanied by two cops - to the police station, where Willie was asked if there was anything illegal inside.

The government claims that Willie grabbed something from the side door and gave it to the cops: it was four baggies containing a clear crystalline substance which yielded positive results for meth.

When questioned, Willie told police he was at the Taulaga compound on the day in question and he got the drugs from Ben as a down payment for a vehicle they towed earlier that week. Willie allegedly told police he’s known that the Taulaga brothers have been selling meth from their home for over a year now.

MAREKO’S PX

On Jan. 9 at around 6:40 a.m, two officers  patrolling in Taputimu observed a vehicle parked in front of a store in Puapua. (This was allegedly the same vehicle that was involved in a hit and run accident on the night of Jan. 6th)

Cops approached the vehicle and made contact with the driver (identified as Reupena Siaosi) and informed him that the vehicle was involved in a “hit and run” on the night of Jan. 6th, and they needed to locate the driver.

Siaosi told police he didn’t know who was driving the vehicle that night, saying it wasn’t him. During the conversation, police observed a black vehicle pull up and park in front of the store where Siaosi was parked.

A male exited the vehicle from the passenger side and approached Siaosi’s vehicle. Siaosi instructed the male (identified as Solo Mareko) to take the black bag from his vehicle and some shopping that was in the back seat. Mareko did as he was told.

The conversation between Siaosi and Mareko was observed by the two officers. When police asked Siaosi who owned the black bag, Siaosi said it belonged to Mareko.

Siaosi was subsequently taken in for questioning.

Meanwhile, Mareko was observed by motorcycle officers (still at the scene) getting back on the road. Mareko and the driver weren’t wearing seatbelts, giving police reason to pull over the vehicle, which turned on to a dirt road in Taputimu.

When asked for ID, Mareko couldn’t produce anything. He was then asked who the black bag belonged to and he said Reupena Siaosi. When asked if they could look inside the bag, Mareko agreed. Once opened, police saw 3 guns inside.

Both Mareko and the driver were immediately detained and back-up was called. The vehicle was impounded and the two men were taken in for questioning. The bag contained cash, 3 handguns, ammunition, 6 small cut up straws containing a white crystalline substance (which tested positive for meth); a medium sized baggie containing a white crystalline substance (which tested positive for meth); 65 medium sized empty baggies; 2 cellphones, and several other items (all noted on property forms).

Siaosi and Mareko refused to speak to police. Siaosi also refused to sign a copy of the arrest warrant. The driver of the vehicle Mareko was riding in, a 26-year-old male, was interviewed by police but later released. He told police he had nothing to do with the contraband found in the vehicle he was driving, saying the car belongs to Mareko who always calls him to come be his driver.

In delivering his decision, Patea said that despite strong opposition from the defense, it’s clear from the evidence that there is probable cause to bind the two cases over to High Court. Willie and Mareko appeared in High Court last week for arraignment, where they entered ‘not guilty’ pleas to the charges against them. Pretrial conference is Mar. 13, 2020.