LIHUE — A Kapaa man charged with burglarizing the Coco Palms Resort changed his plea Monday from not guilty to no contest. Darren Dean White, 46, appeared before Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe and pleaded no contest to charges
LIHUE — A Kapaa man charged with burglarizing the Coco Palms Resort changed his plea Monday from not guilty to no contest.
Darren Dean White, 46, appeared before Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe and pleaded no contest to charges on two cases, one for burglary in the second degree and the other for theft of copper. The court found him guilty of both charges.
White is scheduled for sentencing on both cases on March 16.
Both charges are class C felonies and carry a penalty of five years in prison and $10,000 fine. The extended term for both is 20 years in prison.
The change of plea comes after the defendant’s attorney, Shauna Lee Cahill, reached an agreement with the prosecutor’s office. In the agreement, the state offered White nine months jail and probation, as well as a substance abuse evaluation.
The state dropped a theft of copper charge on the indictment filed Nov. 18, 2015. On the original indictment, which includes his alleged accomplice Nicole Louise Smith, filed July 8, 2015, the state dropped three additional charges including burglary in the second degree, possession of burglar’s tools and delivery of electric guns.
According to court records, police found White at Coco Palms with a stun gun in his pocket. While out on bail, White was again on the property and then charged with burglary in the second degree, records show.
Bail was set at $100,000 for both cases.
