Posted on: Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Man pleads not guilty in cellblock food case

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

The last of four current or former Honolulu Police Department employees likely to be charged with theft in an alleged food scam at the department's main cellblock pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge of second-degree theft.

City Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee, who is handling the case, said that former food service worker Ernest Villanueva will likely plead guilty or no contest to the charge at a later date as part of a plea agreement and has agreed to testify against others in the case.

Two high-ranking HPD officers, assistant Police Chief Rafael Fajardo Jr., 59, and Maj. Jeffrey Owens, 50, have also been charged with second-degree theft in the case. They pleaded not guilty in August.

Former HPD detective John Spondike, 52, pleaded no contest to a second-degree theft charge last month and agreed to testify against others if their cases go to trial.

Prosecutors maintain that public money was misused to buy food and prepare deluxe meals for a select group of Honolulu police officers between 1995 and 2000 when Fajardo and Owens oversaw the department's central receiving division.

Investigators have not yet placed a figure on the amount of money they allege was diverted from the program to buy pre-made meals for prisoners.

Lee said Villanueva was a civil service employee of the police depart for seven or eight years and that he allegedly ordered the food that was improperly served to police officers and "probably ate some of the food, too."

It does not appear that charges will be brought against any additional police officers, Lee said.

Police chief Lee Donohue and former Chief Michael Nakamura have acknowledged eating the free meals but said they did not realize they were doing anything improper.