HONOLULU — A Lihu‘e postal worker was arrested Wednesday on a federal complaint related to selling unregistered guns that were shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, a Department of Justice press release states. Troy Haruki Hamura, 51, of Lihu‘e, made
HONOLULU — A Lihu‘e postal worker was arrested Wednesday on a federal complaint related to selling unregistered guns that were shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, a Department of Justice press release states.
Troy Haruki Hamura, 51, of Lihu‘e, made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi in U.S. District Court Thursday. The criminal complaint charges him with illegally possessing a machine gun and making a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm.
Felony information produced in court said federal agents recovered 19 unregistered firearms from Hamura’s Lihu‘e residence on June 14. The weapons included a fully automatic machine gun that formed the basis for the criminal charge, U.S. Attorney Florence T. Nakakuni says in the release.
A preliminary hearing was set for August 8. The prosecution sought to detain Hamura without bail, but the defendant was released on the condition of community confinement.
Court documents filed in connection with the case disclosed that Hamura, a U.S. Postal Service employee, ordered a rifle from a Florida gun dealer using a federal firearms license without the licensee’s permission. The release says the gun dealer shipped the rifle to a Kaua‘i licensee through the Postal Service, and Hamura obtained the parcel containing the rifle, which he sold without ever registering it.
During the initial appearance, the prosecution disclosed that during the execution of a federal search warrant at Hamura’s residence Wednesday, agents recovered 30 registered firearms and over 23,000 rounds of ammunition. Neither the firearms nor the ammunition are the basis of any criminal charge.
If indicted and convicted, Hamura faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the Kaua‘i Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Hino.
