New hopes, dreams shared at Drug Court graduation

LIHU‘E — It is both good news and bad news that the 13th Kaua‘i Drug Court graduation class is the largest in the program’s six-year history.

The good news is that 15 young and not so young Kauaians have received new starts on sober and drug-free lives when they earlier had been staring at months or years in prison for various crimes.

The bad news is that the sheer number of Drug Court clients graphically shows the depth of the island’s drug and alcohol problems.

This class started with 20 participants. Along the way five dropped out, some of them probably finding solace in their old, drug-addicted ways of living.

At Friday’s graduation ceremony before 5th Circuit Family Court Judge Calvin Murashige at the state courthouse in Lihu‘e, nearly every graduate looked over into the jury box where fellow graduates were seated and thanked members of their new, extended ‘ohana.

Calvin Bosworth, who was arrested for third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug (crystal methamphetamine, or ice) and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, painted his history of drug abuse beginning when he was 14 and first smoked marijuana. He moved to ice at 16, dropped out of high school, and began a lengthy career of criminality that included stolen vehicles, fights and a stabbing.

Now, he runs AA meetings, and Friday thanked those five people who didn’t graduate with their class, because they show him exactly where he doesn’t want to be. And he had been there, living on the beach on Kaua‘i for over a year with his parents.

“There’s plenty of hope for me,” Bosworth said, joking that it was nice to face away from the judge instead of facing the judge while he addressed the courtroom packed with family members, friends and Judiciary staff.

“Calvin has reinvented himself,” said Jack Viohl, probation officer.

State Rep. Mina Morita, D-Kapa‘a-Hanalei, said the graduates’ success stories make it easier to secure continued funding for such programs, especially in the state’s rough economic straits.

“Our greatest renewable energy is aloha,” a core value of the state Judiciary, and the “court is compassionate,” said Morita.

“What we expect from you is to succeed,” and give aloha back to other people, she told the graduates.  “Every day is going to be hard.”

The graduation ceremony had to be rescheduled away from the first Friday of this month due to the Judiciary’s first furlough Friday falling on that day, and that meant graduate Troy Morikawa was unable to attend. He had been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, but is a successful graduate of the program, said Alton Amimoto, Drug Court coordinator.

Jeremy Foster, a Drug Court alumnus, congratulated the graduates for their hard work and dedication, and told them it is “only by the grace and strength of Jesus Christ” that he is able to be before them.

“Don’t look back. Stay focused,” said Foster, adding that their graduation marks “another wonderful chance at life and community.”

You have to be clean and sober to graduate, he said. The miracle is what they do after leaving the courtroom, said Foster.

Stacie Yoshiko Lopes, a graduate charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, said her drug of choice was ice, and it took over her life to the point she lost her children, home and self.

As of Friday, she had been clean and sober over 100 days, got her children back, is employed, and has a home to call her own. The hard work was totally worth it, she said.

Araceli Gonzalez, probation coordinator, said Lopes was “extremely motivated to change her drug and alcohol lifestyle,” got support from her church, and learned to stay away from the people, places and circumstances that prompted her use.

ToriAnn Laranio, probation officer, said she is glad her early concerns about Steven N. Simao were wrong, and now he has been clean and sober for over 500 days.

Simao was charged with three counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and thanked Murashige “for giving me a chance, hope and dream.”

Jamie Leeann Duterte, charged with two counts of first-degree unauthorized entry and two counts of second-degree theft, said she knows she made things difficult for the probation services staff, especially in the beginning.

Since May 2008, Duterte had been in transitional housing and two different drug-treatment programs, said Gonzalez.

“A little over a year ago, I couldn’t be trusted. I still got high even after my induction in Drug Court,” said Duterte. Today, “I know I don’t need drugs anymore,” she said.

Terrence Pantohan II, 21, showed “immense growth and transformation” through his participation in Drug Court, said Gonzalez. Pantohan, charged with a single count of second-degree theft, thanked his grandmother and all his friends, and Probation Officer Jennifer Tone for never giving up on him, even though he “pushed her buttons hard.” He also thanked the Drug Court staff for never giving up on any of the graduates.

Rick Hadley like others before and after him thanked fellow Drug Court graduates, saying the Drug Court journey for him was “the longest, hardest, most exciting journey” he has ever been on.

Hadley was charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug, two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, consumption or possession of liquor while a passenger in a motor vehicle, and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He said he felt sorry for the five Drug Court participants who didn’t make it to graduation.

Adrian Michael Baliaris, charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license, was initially inducted into Drug Court, then left the program, then turned himself in, said Viohl.

He went from being a self-absorbed, defiant young man to a respectful and friendly young adult, Viohl said.

“I know I couldn’t do it alone,” said Baliaris, thanking Viohl “for being straight up with me,” his sister and brother, and others.

Clean and sober for 565 days is Crystal L. Ono, said Laranio. Ono, who was in the gallery at the last Drug Court graduation ceremony, was charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

“I love my life today,” said Ono, who wrote and read the poem “Promise,” speaking of all the empty promises that drugs make to their users.

“I’m a meth addict,” said Tasia Clagett, charged with first-degree terroristic threatening and third-degree criminal property damage. She has 18 arrests, six pending charges and 505 days of sobriety, said Viohl.

Clagett said her family used to be afraid of her, and she had no direction, goals or self-control. Now, she is a crew trainer being considered for management training at McDonald’s. 

Jason Butac, charged with three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, has been clean and sober for 422 days, said Laranio. Butac thanked “my Drug Court family,” for being there for him and believing in him.

Gonzalez said she has been watching Imilia “Imi” Balaan the past two years, growing into a woman. Balaan was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (drugs), driving with a suspended license, second-degree endangerment of the welfare of a minor, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug  and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Without all the help she received, Balaan said she would be living in her car, bouncing from beach to beach. She said she believed drugs were the answer to her problems, instead of a problem themselves.

“You have helped me more than I could ever express,” said Balaan.

David W. Victorino Jr. began using cocaine as a teen, and also smoked marijuana and drank alcohol during “34 years of active drug use,” said Gonzalez, and more recently has been a guest speaker at an AA convention on O‘ahu.

“David has been amazing,” said Gonzalez.

“I am an addict and alcoholic in recovery. I was a mess,” said Victorino, adding he tried acid, alcohol, marijuana and ice. His life was “unmanageable. I was a danger to the community, my family and myself,” alienated the people who loved him the most and befriended those who loved him the least, he said.

He said Murashige’s first advice to him, to be honest “so we can help you,” helped Victorino to graduation. “The clients of Drug Court (are) my family. Make the most of today,” because yesterday and tomorrow are in God’s hands, said Victorino.

Victorino was charged with three counts of second-degree burglary, third-degree theft, being in possession of burglar’s tools, first-degree criminal trespassing, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal property damage.

Other graduates were Derek Masami Ebesu, charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia; and Staci Gonsalves, charged with second-degree forgery and third-degree attempted theft.

• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.