Two Honolulu Police Officers Charged With Federal Civil Rights Offenses

HONOLULU – Two Honolulu Police Department officers were arrested today pursuant to a federal indictment charging them with one count of conspiring to deprive a person of his civil rights, and one count of acting under color of law to deprive the same individual of his civil rights. The indictment alleges that on or about January 28, 2018, HPD Officers John Rabago and Reginald Ramones deprived an individual of his constitutional right to be free from an unreasonable seizure by a law enforcement officer.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum term of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000; and the deprivation of rights under color of law charge carries a maximum term of one-year imprisonment and a maximum fine of $100,000. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the Honolulu Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S Attorney Thomas Brady for the District of Hawaii.