March 31, 2010 - Charlene Thornton, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Honolulu Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today the arrest of SIMETI LUALEMANA, age 67, in Tutuila, American Samoa (a U.S. Territory) relating to an alleged knife attack directed at the Station Chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the U.S. government.
The criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu alleges that on March 29, 2010, the NOAA Station Chief was taking pictures of a home being constructed by LUALEMANA on NOAA-controlled land. LUALEMANA had purportedly been previously admonished that he may not build upon this land. While the NOAA Chief was snapping photos, the complaint alleges that LUALEMANA hacked the left side of the NOAA Chief’s face with a large machete.
LUALEMANA then allegedly grabbed the NOAA Chief by the shirt and attempted to strike him again with the machete, but the NOAA Chief was able to push LUALEMANA away and escape to the nearby NOAA facility while bleeding profusely.
The medical examination of the NOAA Chief found that he had suffered a sizable laceration on the left side of his neck and partial amputation of the left ear, according to the complaint. He is currently recovering from his injuries.
LUALEMANA was charged federally with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111 which prohibits assaulting U.S. government employees performing official duties and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
LUALEMANA is being transported to Honolulu by the FBI where he will face charges in U.S. District Court on Friday, April 2, 2010.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Please contact the FBI Honolulu Press office at 808-566-4356 if you have any questions regarding this matter.
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