Posted on: Wednesday, March 28, 2001

Rampage robbery suspect to be tried as adult

Advertiser Staff

A 17-year-old boy accused of participating in a November crime rampage is being charged as an adult after a Family Court judge waived jurisdiction over him yesterday.

John Vito Talo was arrested yesterday on suspicion of two counts of first-degree robbery. Before his arrest, he was being held at the Ha wai'i Youth Correctional Facility.

In January, 17-year-old Dusti Liupaono also was waived by a Family Court judge and arrested. His attorney, Keith Shigetomi, said Liupaono, a special-education teen, is childlike and has the best chance of rehabilitation through the Family Court system.

Two other men, Lelauti M. Sakaria, 19, and Jason A. Deere, 20, are scheduled to stand trial the week of April 16 on charges of first-degree robbery. Sakaria also is charged with kidnapping.

The four are accused in a Nov. 19 crime rampage in which four armed robbers hit three locations in less than four hours, attacking fast-food customers and car-jacking a motorist before ditching the stolen car.

Honolulu Police Department Lt. Walter Ozeki had said the robbers weren't desperate for money and had not planned on getting any when they started the rampage that netted less than $100.