Suspect charged with rape of underaged girl

By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 10, 2026, an individual called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and reported that a suspect allegedly entered her home unlawfully and snuck into her niece’s room with alcoholic beverages. The suspect was later arrested and charged with: Count 1: Rape, a class B felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years but not more than 15 years; Count 2: Deviate Sexual Assault, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both imprisonment and fine; Count 3: Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both; and, Count 4: Sodomy, a class B felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years but not more than 15 years. The defendant was held without bail. (Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identity of the victim who is also a minor.) According to the court affidavit, a woman contacted the TPS and reported that a man (later identified as the suspect) unlawfully entered her home and went into her niece’s room while holding and consuming alcoholic beverages. Authorities responded to the scene and upon arrival, they met up with the woman (later identified as the reporter/ victim’s aunt) who briefed the officers about the incident. The reporter stated that on July 10, 2026 she called the police regarding a different matter. However, when the officers arrived they questioned the female individual about her age and they found out she was 15 years-old. Authorities later identified the suspect from prior run-ins with law enforcement. He was apprehended and placed into the police unit and transported to the TPS for processing. The suspect allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath during his arrest. The victim and her aunt were also transported to the station for further investigation. Upon arrival at the station, authorities interviewed the minor in the presence of her aunt, who is her legal guardian. According to the victim, the suspect came to her residence around 1:00 am and knocked on her window and called out her name. She went out and opened the door and let the suspect in — where they proceeded into the bedroom. Once in the bedroom, the suspect kissed her, and allegedly had sex with her. The victim mentioned that at one point she told the suspect to stop but the suspect continued against her will. Officers contacted the Child Protective Services (CPS) and informed them about the matter. The social worker later reported to the authorities that the minor was also the victim of another sexual assault. As a result, the social worker explained that after the previous assault the victim was placed at her aunt’s house in Maleimi after her release from the shelter. The social worker requested that the victim be transported to the CPS shelter for safekeeping pending a doctor’s examination of the victim. The suspect was Mirandized and he agreed to provide a statement. The suspect’s verbal account corroborated the victim’s statement concerning the sequence of events on the day of the incident. He confessed to engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim and claimed that he was invited to the victim’s residence. He also acknowledged being intoxicated. The suspect clarified that although he initially stated they were going to “hang out” in the victim’s room, he stated that he meant engaging in sexual intercourse. The suspect further alleged that he asked the victim for consent to have sexual intercourse and she initially agreed. He noted that this was his first sexual encounter with the victim. The affidavit was filed in the District Court on August 21, 2026. As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. [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.] Section: Local News Tags: court report
2026-09-03 18:26:54