LIHU‘E — Orlando Manguchei, who led police on a chase from Lihu‘e Airport in January, received a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment in Fifth Circuit Court Tuesday. Even though prosecutors asked for five years, or concurrent sentencing, for two,
LIHU‘E — Orlando Manguchei, who led police on a chase from Lihu‘e Airport in January, received a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment in Fifth Circuit Court Tuesday.
Even though prosecutors asked for five years, or concurrent sentencing, for two, Class-C felonies, Fifth Circuit Court Judge George M. Masuoka decided that Manguchei, 33, of Kapa‘a, was better off in jail, and gave him consecutive sentences.
“It feels to this court that the only way the court can make sure you don’t do drugs” is a stiff jail sentence, Masuoka said. “Perhaps it would be best for your family” as well, the judge added.
Manguchei pleaded guilty in March to two Class-C felonies on two different cases, a first-degree, terroristic-threatening charge, and a third-degree charge of promotion of a dangerous drug.
At the March 10 plea proceeding, Manguchei admitted he called a state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officer and left a message threatening bodily harm on the state employee’s answering machine. That led to the threat charge.
According to his lawyer, John Murphy, Manguchei, an avid hunter, called the DLNR DOCARE officer over a hunting dispute. Prosecutors said the DOCARE officer was investigating Manguchei.
Manguchei’s actions were wrong, but “a person shouldn’t go to prison for five years for saying that,” Murphy said.
In the other incident, Manguchei was driving a vehicle at Lihu‘e Airport in January, when Kaua‘i Police Department vice officers and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents noticed an individual known to be a methamphetamine trafficker getting out of Manguchei’s vehicle, prosecutors said.
When police arrested the drug trafficker and tried to prevent Manguchei from leaving, prosecutors said, he drove the SUV onto the curb and sped out of the airport area.
Police chased Manguchei towards Kapa‘a, while another occupant of the vehicle Manguchei was driving tossed methamphetamine out of the window, prosecutors said. Police recovered the methamphetamine, but Manguchei and the other occupant got away after a long chase that ended with Manguchei abandoning his vehicle in Kapa‘a. The occupant and Manguchei were apprehended within a few weeks, officials said.
Murphy said that Manguchei has a problem with drugs, and takes full responsibility for his actions.
“Everybody says Orlando’s a good guy” from a good family, Murphy added. “His underlying problem is drugs. He will tell you you won’t see him here again.”
Manguchei thanked his family for their support, and thanked the judge for not reducing his bail.
Then Masuoka announced his decision.
“As far as your family is concerned, the court knows your father and mother and knows how much (your actions) hurt them,” the judge said. “The court can only judge you from what you did in the past,” which includes a lengthy criminal history dating back to his juvenile years, and a parole violation.
Masuoka also waived part of the plea deal with prosecutors, who asked for over $7,000 for damage to a police vehicle during the January chase.
- Tom Finnegan, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
