18-year old arrested for allegedly having sexual relations with 15-year old

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An 18-year-old man was arrested on August 25, 2023 when it was discovered that he was allegedly having an intimate relationship with a 15-year-old minor. According to court filings, on the same day at 8:09pm, the victim and her mother went into the Tafuna Police Substation to report the incident. 

The Criminal Investigation Division were called to interview the victim and her mother at the TPS. According to statements made by the victim, on March 19, 2023, she moved to her sister’s house in Vailoa, where she first met the suspect. 

The victim also stated that on March 20, 2023 she found out that the suspect had a crush on her, and then on March 23, 2023 they started dating. On that same day, the victim says that’s when they had sexual relations.

She further stated that on April 15, 2023, the suspect forced her to have sexual relations with him, without her consent. 

The victim claims that they then got into a fight, where they ended up having sexual relations again.

Further intimate relations occurred up until August 18, 2023, which was the last time that the suspect engaged in sexual relations with the victim.

Detectives located the suspect at his residence in Auma on October 17, 2023 while conducting a follow-up investigation. 

Detectives apprised the suspect of the ongoing investigation pertaining to the 15-year-old, and during the interrogation, detectives observed the underage victim within the confines of the suspect’s guesthouse.

Both were then transported to the Fagatogo Central Police Station for further investigation. 

On October 17, 2023, detectives interviewed the victim, who stated that they had intimate relations again on October 15 and October 16.

On October 17, 2023 at 2:17pm, the suspect was Mirandized. The suspect provided a statement, where he explicitly admitted to engaging in consensual sexual relations with the minor, during their prior romantic relationship. 

Court filings also revealed that the mother of the suspect was aware of the relationship between the suspect and the victim.

The 18-year-old male is currently facing three criminal charges — one count of sexual abuse in the second degree, indecent exposure and endangering the welfare of a child. 

Bail for the suspect was set at $5,000.