Three of four defendants in Futiga drug raid bound over for trial

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Three of the four men who were arrested when police raided a suspected drug operation in Futiga two weeks ago were bound over to High Court after the three co-defendants waived their rights to a preliminary examination (PX) before District Court Judge Gwen Tauiliili_Langkilde.

All four defendants, Ioane Aniseko, who is believed to be a drug supplier, along with Harry Faavae, Albert Faapu’e and Alapati Saega, appeared in Court on Wednesday afternoon for a PX.

Public Defender, Michael White appeared on behalf of three co-defendants, Faavae, Faapu’e and Saega, while Aniseko is represented by Assistant Public Defender, Ryan Anderson, who was not in court.

When the case was called, White informed the court the three co-defendants, Faavae, Faapu’e and Saega wished to waive their rights to a PX and let their cases be bound over to the High Court for further proceeding.

White, appeared on behalf of attorney Anderson and asked for a brief continuance for Aniseko’s case. The court accepted and scheduled Aniseko’s PX for next week.

For the issue of reduction of bail for Faavae, Judge Tauiliili-Langkilde granted White’s motion to reduce Faavae’s bail from $20,000 to $10,000 on one condition, it must be a cash only bond.

Faavae, Faapu’e and Saega are scheduled to appear in High Court this morning, Friday, June 25, 2021 for arraignment.

BACKGROUND 

Aniseko is charged with four felony crimes: unlawful possession of methamphetamine (meth), unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of meth with intent to distribute.

Co-defendant, Ioane Aniseko, who is believed to be the supplier, outside of District Court this week. [photo by AF]

Harry Faavae faces three charges: unlawful possession of meth with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Harry Faavae [photo by AF]

Albert Faapu’e is charged with unlawful possession of meth.

Albert Faapu’e [photo by AF]

Alapati Saega is charged with unlawful possession of meth and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Alapati Saega [photo by AF]

Faapue and Saega were arrested at the home of Harry Faavae in Futiga where police executed a search warrant. Ioane and Faavae were arrested at a store’s parking lot on the Iliili main road.

The Narcotics & Criminal Investigation Division units arrived at the home around 7:30 a.m on Monday, June 7 and found Faavae, Faapu’e and Saega sitting in the garage facing the road. On a table where the three were seated were 27 empty cut up straws, and 3 Simoi baggies containing green leafy substances.

A total of $564 in cash was found in Faavae’s wallet, which was also on the table along with a pack of rolling papers.

A search of Faavae produced 8 cut up straws containing a crystalline substances and a simoi bag that also had the same type of substance.

A search of Faavae’s home found paraphernalia, including two scales and a propane torch, used to pack drugs, according to police.

Defendant Saega told police that a car at the scene was his. When asked if there were drugs inside he said yes. Saega retrieved from his car a pipe and a simoi bag containing green leafy substances.

Upon questioning at the police station, Saega said that when police arrived that morning, he had earlier bought a pipe for $20 and marijuana for $10 and placed them in his car. He then returned to the garage where the other two were when police showed up.

In the case of Albert Faapu’e, police searched him and found inside his pockets a medicine bottle containing a napkin. Asked what was inside Faapu’e, said he didn’t know.

Police unwrapped the napkin and found a glass pipe containing white residue. On the ground directly behind where Faapu’e was sitting, police found another glass pipe also containing white residue.

Aniseko was arrested in the store’s parking lot, when Faavae was overheard saying he had a meeting scheduled with a supplier that morning. So officers decided to allow him to leave the scene while they followed him in secret using an unmarked vehicle. Faavae pulled into the store’s parking lot and parked next to a vehicle that he then proceeded to approach. Faavae was about to get into the passenger’s seat, however a police officer was at the driver’s side of the vehicle asking Aniseko to get out.

Police searched the vehicle and found a medium size baggie with a crystalline substance and a fanny pack containing 6 simoi-size baggies with crystalline substances along with 251 cut up straws which also contained crystalline substance. Both Aniseko and Faavae were handcuffed and transported to the DPS training room.

All of the drugs found during the search in Futiga and in Aniseko’s vehicle were tested: the white crystalline substances tested positive for meth, while the green leafy substances tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.