Plea deal in HPD auto-parts scheme

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

A former civilian employee of the Honolulu Police Department who was accused of participating in an auto-parts scheme that bilked the city out of thousands of dollars pleaded no contest yesterday to one count each of first-degree theft, second-degree theft and money laundering.

Victor Hasebe, former HPD automotive equipment superintendent, also agreed to repay the city $13,000 as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

City Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee said that from 1993 to 1999, Vernon and John Isono, who operated Larry's Auto Parts in Kaimuki, billed HPD for standard automobile parts to cover the cost of high-performance parts the two were providing to Hasebe and former HPD storekeeper Winston Owan for their personal use.

Circuit Judge Richard Perkins in May fined each of the Isono brothers $2,500 and ordered each to pay $3,333 in restitution. In addition, he ordered the Isonos to abide by conditions similar to probation for five years.

Owan pleaded no contest to a theft charge in November.

Lee said Owan and Hasebe formed an arrangement with the Isonos to have the city pay inflated prices for parts used to maintain police vehicles.

In return, Larry's Auto Parts provided Hasebe and Owan with cash, parts and travel, Lee said.

Lee said Owan and Hasebe were also accused of falsifying invoices to have the city pay for about $10,000 worth of high performance automobile parts that were never used on HPD vehicles, but which went to the two men for their own use.