A number of minor charges escalate with drugs or alcohol involved

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The driver of a vehicle pulled over by police during a traffic stop in Malaeloa last month told investigators that the illegal drugs found in his possession were bought from a man named “Styler” of Vaitogi. (Samoa News is not using the man’s full name as he has not been charged.)

Faamanu Pulumu made his initial appearance in District Court last month.

Pulumu is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth) and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 nor more than ten years and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $20,000, or both.

Bail is set at $10,000.

During his initial appearance the defendant requested a Preliminary examination (PX), which is now scheduled for Thursday next week.

THE CASE

The government’s case against Pulumu stems from a traffic stop in front of a store in Malaeloa on May 12, 2022, after officers observed his vehicle on the public highway with only one headlight.

The two officers who were patrolling the area stopped the vehicle and moments later the DPS Vice and Narcotic K9 unit also arrived at the location and were able to assist the two patrolling officers during the traffic stop.

The driver was later identified as Faamanu Pulumu, the defendant in this case. At the time, it was found Pulumu did not have a driver’s license nor any form of identification on his person.

Pulumu was then informed by officers that he would be taken to the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) in order to contact family members to bring verification to confirm his identity. When the defendant was patted down for weapons police found a glass pipe and two hand rolled marijuana cigarettes on his person.

After the body search, Pulumu was immediately detained. On the way to the TPS, Pulumu further informed the police sergeant who was driving his vehicle about illegal drugs inside his rear pocket and he wanted the officer to remove the illegal drugs away from his person because both of his hands were cuffed.

Upon arrival at the TPS, the officer who spoke with Pulumu regarding the illegal drugs approached the lead investigating officer and told him what the defendant had told him.

Pulumu confirmed to the lead investigator the information he told the police sergeant and told him that he has three small cut-up straws containing meth inside his wallet. Officers found the straws inside Pulumu’s wallet.

The white crystalline substance tested positive for meth, while the green leafy substance found inside the two hand rolled cigarettes tested positive for THC, the active compound in marijuana.

Pulumu was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement and answer questions.

According to Pulumu’s verbal and written statement to investigators, he bought the illegal drugs from “Styler” who works as a taxi driver in the Tafuna area. He said that he usually buys meth from “Styler” every two weeks once he gets paid.

ASOPA’EPA’E OPETAIA

A man was taken into custody last month after police picked him up for a public peace disturbance (PPD) matter in the Tafuna area.

Asopa’epa’e Opetaia, 33, who has a previous assault conviction from 2013 together with an outstanding bench warrant, made his initial appearance in court last month.

Opetaia is charged with second-degree assault and unlawful possession of marijuana, both felonies; and two misdemeanors — PPD and third-degree assault.

Bail is set at $10,000.

THE CASE

Cops responded to a PPD in Tafuna after a woman contacted the TPS for police assistance after a man blocked the way to their house with his pickup truck.

The woman further told police that the man is their neighbor and he was currently drunk.

Police arrived and spoke to the caller who was standing at the side of the road with her two young children. The woman was later identified as the reporter in this matter. The woman pointed officers to the location where the defendant parked his vehicle that blocked the road to the woman’s house.

The woman who reported the matter to police and the defendant were neighbors.

According to the reporter, it was during evening prayers that she sent her daughter to the defendant’s house to ask him to please turn down his music’s volume because it’s time for evening prayers.

The defendant told the reporter’s daughter to go and tell her mother that she does not have an authority to instruct him what to do. Minutes later, the reporter saw the defendant’s vehicle block the entrance to their house.

When the reporter’s husband approached the defendant about his action, the defendant walked to her husband and struck her husband, the victim, with an empty beer bottle.

According to the reporter, her husband did not throw any punches; instead, he stood up and ran back to house and told her to call police for assistance.

The defendant then left his vehicle at the scene and immediately fled after he heard that the reporter was calling police for help.

Opetaia was apprehended outside of his house and transported to the TPS for questioning.

When interviewed, Opetaia said that he assaulted the victim because he was very disappointed with the victim’s wife and the victim and his family caused problems at their neighborhood.

The defendant further stated that he and his cousin were drinking at his house and minding their own business when suddenly the victim’s wife and daughter threw stones at his house and yelled profanities at them, telling them to lower the volume of their music.

According to Opetaia, he did not put the music volume high because he respects families around him, however, ever since the victim’s family came and rented the house next to his house, they have had a lot of differences in the past three years because the victim’s wife and children always cause problems in their neighborhood.

He admitted to investigators that he drove his vehicle and blocked the entrance to the victim’s house. As he was about to leave, the victim’s wife swore  at him and called him names, and when he turned around he saw the victim standing outside of their house holding a knife in his right hand.

That is when he called out to the victim and asked him the purpose for holding the knife. He challenged the victim that if he wanted to do something to him, feel free to come and do it.

According to Opetaia’s statement, he saw the victim walking up to him, still holding a machete in his right hand. When the victim was close to him, he quickly grabbed an empty large beer bottle and struck the victim’s head.

The victim ran back to his house for help while Opetaia fled the scene and went to his house.

It was revealed during Opetaia’s police interview that he had an outstanding arrest warrant from another assault case, where he is alleged to have assaulted a man, using a rock to strike his head.

THE OUTSTANDING WARRANT

On Dec. 21st, 2020, a woman contacted the TPS for help, after her husband was assaulted by a man, who worked as a groundsman for a family next to their house in Tafuna. A confrontation happened between the victim and the groundsman, identified as Opetaia, when Opetaia asked the victim for beer but was instead given food.

Video footage of the incident was recorded by the nearby store’s surveillance camera and obtained by police. It confirmed Opetaia’s involvement.

After police obtained a warrant from the court to arrest Opetaia, he was nowhere to be found.

IASEPI FAAPALE

A 45-year-old man who has a pending matter in the Family, Drug and Alcohol (FDA) court was arrested last month and charged with criminal contempt, along with violating local drug laws.

According to the government's case, police got a call for assistance on the first Saturday night of last month, May 7, reporting that Iasepi Faapale was drunk and disorderly.

Police officers found Faapale hiding at the back of his neighbor’s house and was immediately apprehended by police and transported to the TPS for questioning.

Before Faapale was transported to TPS, a body search was conducted by officers, and drugs were discovered in his right pocket — a small baggie containing meth, and another small baggie containing marijuana.

When asked about the drugs, Faapale told officers that they belonged to him. He did not offer any further information regarding the illegal drugs.

Faapale made his initial appearance in court last month.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 10 years, a fine of up to $20,000, or both, along with one count of contempt of court, a class A misdemeanor.

Bail is set at $5,000.