Man picked up for alleged drunken disturbance in OMV area

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 13, 2025, police officers heard someone yelling profanities and disturbing the peace around the OMV area in Tafuna.

The suspect was arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Sept 13th, at around 8:30 p.m., police officers heard yelling and cursing coming from the track area behind the Office of Motor Vehicle (OMV) building.

Police officers proceeded to the area where they met with a witness who informed them that it was a man with long hair wearing a sarong (ie lavalava) and he was heading to the airport.

Another witness told them that a man (later identified as the suspect) walked from DYWA to the OMV yelling profanities in Samoan.

Authorities located the suspect and, upon contact, he became hostile and defensive. The suspect also reeked of alcohol.

He was apprehended and transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for further investigation.

Upon arrival at the TPS, the suspect was placed in an interrogation room, where he grew increasingly aggressive over time. He continued to yell profanities in Samoan and threatened to kill one of the responding officers.

During the booking process, the suspect refused to provide his name but was later identified by Central Police Station as Sefo Lemanu, due to prior run-ins with the law.

The suspect also continued to challenge the officers to a fight while yelling profanities.

Another officer tried to assist the suspect by adjusting his sarong, which was coming loose, but this made the suspect more aggressive, and he grew louder inside the station.

While being transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF), Mr. Lemanu continued to yell profanities and threatened to shoot the officers when he got out. The suspect also kicked the window of the police unit and was later restrained by authorities to prevent causing more damage to the police unit.

The suspect was booked and confined at the TCF until the next sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 37-year-old U.S national.