LIHU‘E — Jesse Adams served four months and will get five-years probation for his role in attempted extortion of $100 from tourists last April. Adams, 26, of Kapahi, appeared before Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Wednesday for sentencing
LIHU‘E — Jesse Adams served four months and will get five-years probation for his role in attempted extortion of $100 from tourists last April.
Adams, 26, of Kapahi, appeared before Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Wednesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to misdemeanor second-degree∆ theft and resisting arrest in a plea deal. The state dropped the remaining charges of first degree-extortion and second-degree assault against a law enforcement officer.
Defense attorney Michael Soong said Adams has been working steady since his supervised release was granted on Aug. 22. He had been held on $10,500 bail, and was incarcerated for 124 days, nearly a month longer than the 90-day sentence for theft, and the 10-day sentence for resisting arrest.
Soong said that Adams was homeless and on drugs at the time of the crime and made the mistake of accepting an opportunity to make some easy money. He said Adams did not take part in the Apr. 18 theft of the rental car belonging to three tourists at Wailua Falls.
Once the victims were contacted via text from one of their own cell phones, Soong said Adams was to get $20 for collecting $100 from the tourists for the return of a wallet, credit cards, cameras, clothing and a cell phone. When Adams showed at Ke Ala Hele Makalae path, he made the deal with the victims before a plainclothes detective apprehended him after a struggle.
During the struggle, the arresting officer hurt his knee, elbow and foot. He received medical care at Wilcox Memorial Hospital and was later released.
Police were able to return most of the stolen items to the owners.
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Wendel Crutchfield said the state did not object to the credit for time served and the terms of probation. He did pause to point out the parallels of Adams with the victims that he found disturbing.
Crutchfield said that Adams came to Kaua‘i as a youth from the Mainland, and his file notes he had a very bad experience as an outsider. He should have had more empathy for tourists based on that experience, he added.
Adams replied that it was his intention to take the money and return the items and not give it to the people who hired him.
Judge Watanabe ordered Adams to have a drug and alcohol assessment and to follow any substance abuse treatment recommendations. He was also ordered pay court fines, perform 500 hours of community service and pay $52 in restitution to one of the victims.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or by emailing tlaventure@ thegardenisland.com.
