Two former guards at the Juvenile Detention Center, Alofagia Letuli and Olafou Wilson, have been sentenced to ten years in prison.
Both entered plea agreements with the government in which they pled guilty to two counts each while 8 charges were dismissed in Letuli’s case and 12 were dropped in Wilson’s case.
Letuli pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance and aiding an escape while Wilson pled guilty to one count of possession and one count of stealing.
Letuli, who was a police officer for 10 years apologized for what she did. She said sorry to the Department of Public Safety and the Commissioner for not fulfilling her duties.
She said she was remorseful for not taking care of what she was supposed to do as a Watch Commander.
“I hope you will forgive me,” she pleaded.
She also apologized to her dad who was in court for letting him down. She never mentioned the juveniles involved in the crimes she committed.
Letuli asked the court for a last chance so she can find a job and take care of her father and brother.
Her 76 year old father said he had five sons and Alofagia was his only daughter.
She was treated special being the only girl.
Mr Letuli said he needed Alofagia at home to help take care of his blind son. His wife has paased.
Wilson, who has been with DPS for 6 years, also expressed his remorse and apologized to the court and the Department of Public Safety.
He asked that he be given a chance to return home and correct his mistakes.
The two defendants have already spent 20 months at the TCF.
Public Defender Mike White said the two defendants have cooperated with the governemt and provided valuable information which has helped convict the third defendant in this case, Okeseno Alo.
He recommended that they not be given any further detention.
Proescutor Assistant Attorney General Christy Dunne said what’s stated in the pre sentence report was sufficenit and she didn’t have anything further to add.
After a brief recess, Chief Justice Michael Kruse, flanked by Chief Associate Judge Mamea Sala Jr and Faamausili Pomele delivered a strong statement about the state of affairs at the correctional facility and juvenile detention center.
Kruse said for many years the court has been aware of the “culture of corruption” at the adult jail…for instance the beer runs, inmates being allowed to visit aiga.
He said it was a sad commentary that some of this culture of corruption has now permeated the facility where children whom the court has decided should be housed away from home, are kept for behavioral change purposes.
Kruse said the executive branch must make institutional changes to stop this culture of corrutipn.
He said many years ago the court brought up the need to monitor people walking through the TCF gate, either inmates returning or family memebrs who are visiting, and smuggling in conteraband.
He said “we continue to get cases like this in this court.”
The Chief Justice took note that the most vulnerable memebrs of the community , the children, kept at the Juveneile Detention Center with the hope of behaviorusal change, are also exposed to the effects of the “culture of corruption” that exists at the detention facilities.
Then he delivered sentence, imposing 5 years for each of the two counts against the defendants, to be served consecutively.
Kruse told the defendants that their mitigation statements can be left for the Parole Board after they serve a third of their sentences.
The chief justice told the prosecutor the court cannot emphasize enough the need for institutional changes.
He said everywhere else in the real world “prisons are a separate entity from the police.
“Just from the court’s observation the competition for resources takes priority to the correctional aspects and added “but who are we to judge?”
