Annette Manners, 29, pleaded guilty Monday to 14 felony theft and burglary charges in Lihu‘e Circuit Court, and will likely be spending 10 years in jail when she is sentenced in June.
After giving birth within the past month, Manners, of Kekaha, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of burglary, one count of unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, and one third-degree theft charge, said Craig De Costa, county deputy prosecuting attorney.
A number of felony charges, including a slew of felony theft charges, were dismissed as part of a plea bargain.
She faces a maximum of 251 years in jail, but, as part of the plea agreement, attorneys in the prosecutor’s office will recommend that her sentences run concurrently, or at the same time as one another.
But Circuit Court Judge Clifford L. Nakea has the final say on the sentencing, and he can impose a different sentence if he wishes, said De Costa.
Manners, who is out of jail on supervised release, will be sentenced June 3.
The 29-year-old woman was arrested Feb. 5 as a result of a tip from an informant, who came forward to police after a $15,000 reward was offered by one of the burglary victims.
Brad Bennett, whose Kukui‘ula home on Lawa‘i Road was broken into twice, offered the $15,000 for the second burglary. He is still offering $10,000 for the first burglary, which occurred last fall and remains unsolved.
That first burglary occurred while his son and grandson and daughter-in-law were all in the house, and thieves took off with between $6,000 and $7,000 worth of cash and personal belongings including a Dell laptop computer, a Sony digital camera, and other easy-to-carry items, Bennett said.
Both Bennett and lead investigator Kaua‘i Police Department Det. Kaleo Perez did not return phone messages seeking comment about Manners’ plea and when the reward would be paid to the informant.
Perez said last month that he hopes the reward will continue to convince people to come forward with information about either the crimes or the stolen property, which in most cases was traded for cash or drugs.
Anyone with information about the burglaries or stolen property should call Perez at 241-1686.
Staff Writer Tom Finnegan may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or mailto:tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
