Man faces allegations of attempted murder, sexual assault, sexual abuse and more

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 10, 2025, a victim in distress called the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported that a suspect had allegedly entered her home unlawfully and tried to rape her.

The suspect was later apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Attempted Murder, a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Deviate Sexual Assault, a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both;

Count 3: Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both;

Count 4: Assault in the Third Degree, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine not more than $300, or both;

Count 5: Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both; and,

Count 6: Private Peace Disturbance, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine not more than $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $75,000.

According to the court affidavit, filed in the District Court on Dec. 12, 2025, an officer was assigned to investigate a matter involving an alleged sex crime, burglary, and peace disturbance by John Maika (later identified as the suspect).

The investigation revealed that the victim had called the FPS on Dec. 10th, and was crying. The authorities responded to the call and brought the victim in for a formal interview.

The victim stated that she lives in Pago Pago with her husband and their three children. The unit they occupy is part of a duplex building with a shared entry that leads into a shared hallway where each unit is accessed through a separate door.

A man occupies the other unit.

The victim further explained that the duplex is located behind the landlord’s home, and the suspect lives with the landlord.

She stated that on Dec. 10th, at around 5:35 a.m., while she was asleep in a ie lavalava, she felt someone touching her inappropriately in an aggressive manner, which hurt her. As she slowly woke, she heard someone whisper in her ear, "Don't make a sound."

Shortly after hearing those words, the victim felt the suspect’s hands lifting her legs upwards and tried to rape her.

However, she thought her husband was doing this to her, but when she opened her eyes, she realized it was not her husband. That’s when she became enraged and shoved the suspect off her body.

The suspect then fled to the back door of her house. The door was locked, so the suspect circled back to the front door and exited the victim’s home. The victim explained that she followed the suspect and caught up with him in the duplex’s shared hallway.

The suspect gestured for her to be quiet. She then ran back inside her home, shut the door, and called her husband, who was outside smoking.

Her husband ran into the hallway and found the suspect standing there, trying to exit through the duplex’s entryway. The victim was sure that the suspect was the person who had entered her home illegally because when she followed him in the hallway, she saw his face.

At approximately 2:15 p.m., the officers apprehended the suspect and transported him to the FPS for further investigation.

Upon arrival at the station, he was Mirandized, which he understood and agreed to provide a statement.

When asked about the allegations against him, the suspect stated that he was drinking with the man who stays at the other duplex and when he went to get a phone charger he  saw the victim lying naked inside her home with the door wide open.

He then entered the victim’s home and started touching her. However, he denied raping the victim.

The suspect was booked and taken to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 33-year-old citizen of Samoa.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ra]