Hiranaka enters not-guilty pleas

LIHU‘E — The former Kaua‘i Police Department clerk accused of computer fraud and first-degree theft entered not-guilty pleas at her arraignment in Fifth Circuit Court in Lihu‘e Tuesday.

Mikalynn Hiranaka, 36, of Wailua, was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month, and turned herself in shortly thereafter. She was released after posting $10,000 bail.

The indictment alleges that from March 2017 to Oct. 2019 Hiranaka illegally collected more than $20,000 in fees on behalf of the Hawai‘i Criminal Justice Data Center, while employed as a clerk at the KPD Records Division.

According to the filing, Hiranaka used a computer system “with the intent to commit theft of more than $20,000 worth of property from the Hawai‘i Criminal Justice Data Center…by creating and submitting counter service reports to the Kaua‘i Police Department.”

The KPD alerted state Attorney General Holly T. Shikada of the issue, according to a release from the AG’s office. The KPD did not comment after Tuesday’s plea.

State Deputy Public Defender Dena Renti Cruz entered the not-guilty pleas to both charges on behalf of Hiranaka, who appeared in person before Judge Randal Valenciano Tuesday morning.

Valenciano informed the defendant of her firearms restriction, that Hiranaka is required to turn any firearms and ammunition in to the Kaua‘i Police Department under penalty of a separate felony offense.

The court set her trial date for Sept. 12 at 8 a.m., with a pretrial conference scheduled for Aug. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Computer fraud in the first degree is a Class A felony punishable by an automatic prison term of up to 20 years and a maximum fine of $50,000. Theft in the first degree is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000.

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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.