ID theft yields 5-year prison sentence

LIHUE — A reoffender who lost his probation for new identity theft cases was sentenced to prison Thursday in 5th Circuit Court.

Terron Albert Martinez, 39, Lihue, was given a five-year term and was then informed he is still wanted on three warrants in California that will be there upon completion of his Hawaii term.

County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ginger Grinpas said both matters involved crimes in March 2013. In the first case, Martinez was charged with using stolen driver’s licenses to write over $500 with checks stolen from a local business.

“The defendant has an extensive criminal history and prison appears to be the only option here,” Grinpas said.

The court granted the state’s request for a restitution order of $3,620 to American Savings Bank.

Court-appointed attorney James Tagupa said the defendant has had a lifestyle that centered around these types of activities for a decade. Martinez appears to be remorseful, Tagupa said. He was brought back to the island to face charges and when released, he became homeless and desperate, he said.

The parole board can figure out how long he will serve before he can address the matters in California, Tagupa said.

State Deputy Public Defender Samuel Jajich said Martinez has performed well in the warden’s Life Time Stand program. He asked for concurrent sentencing in the two cases.

Martinez said he was sorry for what he had done.

“I need to fix myself,” he added in his statement to the court.

Of the nine counts in one felony complaint, Martinez was sentenced to five years on two counts of unauthorized possession of personal confidential information, second-degree theft and second-degree forgery. The second case included 34 counts and Martinez was sentenced for third-degree identity theft and second-degree theft.