News

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026, for harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.  

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that on May 11, 2026, United States District Judge Jill A. Otake sentenced Kaiaulani C. Kaiawe, 47, of Kapaa, Hawaii to 40 months in prison for defrauding the Kauai Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance (CRUA) program.  

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that ten people were charged in an indictment that was unsealed on May 6, 2026, on charges including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm.

HONOLULU – Three men have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to pay bribes to a public official at the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) in exchange for his official actions in connection with affordable housing development agreements worth more than $11,000,000. 

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Ethan Page, 52, of Kekaha, Hawaii, was sentenced on April 15, 2026, to fourteen months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, along with $1,409,964.35 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), following his guilty plea for making a false statement to the SBA.

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday to four months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release (the first four months to be served as home confinement), along with $60,458 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Jason Shitanishi, 60, of Honolulu, Hawaii pled guilty in federal court today to receiving an illegal gratuity as a public official.  

HONOLULU – A former active-duty Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently inflating the cost of information technology (IT) contracts for the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) by at least $37 million. 

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that brothers Skyler Supapo, 24, and Sebastian Supapo, 20, of Kalihi, Hawaii, were arrested and charged last Friday for illegally possessing firearms. 

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that a federal jury today convicted Darren Patrick Riley, 45, of Honolulu, Hawaii, of 12 counts related to his trafficking and sexual exploitation of five minor boys in Oahu in 2019 and 2020.

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Kenneth Kazuichi Arasato, Jr., 63, of Mililani, Hawaii, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. 

HONOLULU – A second man, Taliau Tauvela-Afalava, 31 of Aiea, Hawaii, was charged and made his initial appearance in court today for his role in a murder stemming from the victim’s alleged failure to pay for methamphetamine.