LIHUE — A third co-defendant convicted of a series of burglaries was sentenced to one year in jail and given five years of felony probation Thursday in Kauai County 5th Circuit Court.
Frank A.K.K. Daligdig, 31, of Lihue, was also ordered to successfully complete the 5th Circuit drug court program or be at risk of having a probation revocation.
“There has to be an urgency with compliance,” Chief Judge Randal Valenciano told Daligdig, who participated or acted as lookout in a string of burglaries last year.
The methamphetamine-fueled crime spree occurred largely between Aug. 14 and Sept. 11, 2012. The co-defendants and accomplices victimized 16 area residents and one business in Kapaa, Wailua, Hanamaulu and Lihue.
One victim at the courthouse explained that the break-in traumatized their daughter who still doesn’t feel safe after locks were changed and an alarm system was installed. She said it was disturbing to the victims that all three burglars received light sentences in the high profile cases.
County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar said after the hearing that his office carefully reviews the facts and circumstances of each case in making sentencing arguments to the judge.
“We ask for the sentence we believe will best protect the residents of this community,” Kollar said. “In this defendant’s case, prison (the full five year term) would have been the best sentence to accomplish that goal.”
As the lookout, Daligdig was ordered to pay $1,188.55 in restitution. The two other co-defendants, who were sentenced earlier in the year, collectively must repay $44,348.62.
Kamron Cortez, 18, of Hanamaulu, was sentenced to 18 months jail and probation on May 9. The other, Aron Nagao, 19, of Kapaa, was sentenced to 18 months jail and a five-year term of felony probation on Aug. 29.
Court-appointed defense attorneys Warren Perry and Mark Zenger represented Daligdig in each of the two cases. They each asked for probation and up to a year in jail in accordance with the no contest change of plea entered on May 20.
County Second Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Vogt said that Daligdig may have played a minor role but he was much older than the co-defendants. He should have known better with a prior felony record, having served a prison term and probation, she said.
With the prior record and poor performance while on probation, Vogt recommended a five-year prison term.
In the court’s ruling Valenciano said he must consider the probation department’s recommendation of time served with probation in the pre-sentence report.
