Aaron Kahalewai, 29, of Mililani, and formerly of Kaua‘i, will be getting another new address soon. He was sentenced recently to 10 years in prison for the offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kahalewai was also
Aaron Kahalewai, 29, of Mililani, and formerly of Kaua‘i, will be getting another new address soon.
He was sentenced recently to 10 years in prison for the offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Kahalewai was also ordered to serve the full 10 years without the possibility of parole because he was a repeat offender with at least three prior felony convictions, prosecutors said.
Kahalewai, who has been incarcerated since his arrest in September, 2003, entered his guilty plea to the felony offense on Jan. 6, 2004.
Sentencing for Kahalewai was delayed pending the outcome of the case against his co-defendant, Winona Nalei Ragragola, prosecutors said.
In July of this year, Ragragola entered guilty pleas to two class-C felonies relating to the same September 2003 shooting incident, prosecutors said.
On Sept. 5, 2003, Kahalewai was a passenger in Ragragola’s van while Ragragola was chasing a male who owed money to a mutual acquaintance of both Ragragola and Kahalewai, prosecutors said.
According to Kahalewai, Ragragola became upset during the chase, and yelled “shoot him,” prosecutors said.
Kahalewai then fired shots at the vehicle he and Ragragola were chasing, from a revolver that he obtained from Ragragola, according to prosecutors.
At Ragragola’s change-of-plea hearing, Ragragola’s attorney made it clear to the court that she disputes Kahalewai’s version of events, prosecutors said.
In other recent court proceedings, Gregory Finiiray, 23, of Hanalei, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for attempted burglary in the first degree. Finiiray entered his guilty plea to the felony offense on March 23, prosecutors said.
The offense occurred on Jan. 13, 2004, when Finiiray was caught trying to get into the window of a residence in Princeville.
In June 2004, a judge gave Finiiray an opportunity to keep his record clean by deferring acceptance of his guilty plea and setting certain conditions, prosecutors said.
A motion to set aside the deferment was filed on July 15, after Finiiray’s probation officer reported that Finiiray failed to successfully complete outpatient drug treatment, admitted taking illegal drugs, and failed to complete community-service work, prosecutors said.
