Court proceedings reveal the names of people arrested in Aua drug raid

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A former police officer, his sister and her two daughters were among twelve people apprehended when armed detectives executed a search warrant at the home of Semi Sago in Aua early Tuesday morning, Sept. 27, 2022.

Five of the 12 people have been charged with unlawful possession of illegal drugs, after detectives discovered drugs, paraphernalia and cash during the police raid.

They are currently confined at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF), after their initial hearing at District Court last Friday, Sept. 30th.

A sixth man was also booked and confined at the TCF on an outstanding probation warrant.

The five people charged for violating local drugs laws are Semi Sago, a former police officer; David Lealuga, Kolio Fanene, Eteuati Meleisea, also known as Pa’apa’a or Spaka and Sonny Maiava.

Sago and Lealuga are each charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) and one count of unlawful possession of meth with the intent to distribute, both unclassified felonies, their bail is set at $20,000 each.

Fanene, Meleisea and Maiava were each charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, unclassified felonies; the Court set bail for them at $5,000 each.

THE ALLEGATION

According to the government’s case, approximately 11 adult individuals and one minor were occupying Sago’s property when armed detectives executed the search warrant.

The search warrant targeted Sago, who was found inside one of the bedrooms of the residence when it was searched. Inside Sago’s bedroom, detectives discovered a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance on the bed next to the defendant and 7 cut up straws containing a white crystalline substance, along with cash of $860, on a little table near Sago’s bed.

A second individual mentioned in the search warrant — David Lealuga — was found by police in another room of the beige house (Sago’s residence) along with his girlfriend’s mother.

Upon a search of Lealuga’s bedroom, detectives discovered a glass pipe with a white crystalline substance inside, hidden in the bedroom ceiling. Detectives also discovered inside his pants pockets a cash amount of $395. Court filings revealed that Lealuga’s girlfriend’s mother is Sago’s sister.

The search also found two other individuals sleeping in the living room —  later identified as the sister of Lealuga’s girlfriend and her husband, while Lealuga’s girlfriend was discovered in the shower that’s connected to a burnt down structure, along with a male minor, who was identified as the younger brother of Lealuga’s girlfriend. These individuals were detained.

Detectives continued their search and another male was found sleeping in a hammock inside the back portion of the two-story structure and 3 other males were found inside a single room located on the 1st floor.

Two of the three individuals found in the room were identified as Kolio Fanene and Sonny Maiava. Maiava apparently occupies this single room.

The single room was later searched and detectives discovered a cut up straw containing a crystalline substance along with 3 glass pipes with crystalline substances inside.

Another male individual, whose name was mentioned in the search warrant, was found near Sago’s premises during the execution of the search warrant —   Eteuati Meleisea, also known as Pa’apa’a or Spaka. Detectives discovered a glass pipe containing a crystalline substance inside the left pocket of his shorts.

The five defendants, Sago, Lealuga, Fanene, Meleisea and Maiava were taken into the Fagatogo Central Police Station for further investigation; Sago’s sister and her two daughters along with 4 other males discovered on the premises were also detained and taken to the FCPS for investigation.

The five defendants were mirandized.

Lealuga signed and waived his rights and admits to owing the glass pipe that was discovered inside his bedroom. He also admitted to smoking meth and that he knew Sago was distributing and selling meth on the premises.

He told investigators that he’s been doing meth for many months now and he did not expect police to raid Sago’s residence.

Maiava also signed and waived his rights. He admitted smoking meth Sago gave him two days prior to the police raid and confirmed that Sago was selling and distributing meth from his home.

Sago, Meleisea and Fanene were also Mirandized and indicated they understood their rights and refused to speak to investigators.

However, Meleisea spontaneously uttered after being advised of his rights that he does smoke meth. He further stated that when he would ask Sago for some meth, Sago would give it to him.

The sixth male individual, identified as Presley Pino, also discovered on the premises during the raid, was also booked and confined at TCF for an outstanding probation warrant.

Sago’s sister and her two daughters, along with the minor and 2 other male individuals were later released to go home after being interviewed and cleared.

All the crystalline substance confiscated by police tested positive for meth.

All evidence discovered at the scene were documented and taken into the evidence custodial room.