Ige, state reach plea agreement
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Former state legislator Marshall Ige is looking at jail time after he pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement on charges stemming from two cases in which he obtained a total of $37,000
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
under false pretenses.
Marshall Ige was convicted of second-degree theft, attempted tax evasion and three misdemeanor counts of failing to file state tax returns.
"We will be requesting one full year at sentencing in addition to whatever conditions are appropriate," state Deputy Attorney General General Kurt Spohn yesterday told Circuit Judge Sandra Simms.
Simms will sentence the 48-year-old Ige on May 28 for second-degree theft, attempted tax evasion and three misdemeanor counts of failing to file state tax returns.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, the state agreed to drop first-degree theft and money-laundering charges. Deputy Public Defender Richard Sing, Ige's legal counsel, confirmed the plea agreement includes probation and "anything from zero to 365 days jail time."
"It closes another chapter in my life," a visibly thinner Ige said outside of court. "For me, it's time to rebuild."
Ige, who represented Kane'ohe and Kailua as a state representative for 16 years and senator for four years, declined comment when asked about jail time.
The guilty plea for second-degree theft relates to Ige obtaining $7,000 as a rent advance from Vietnamese orchid farmer Hahn Lam in June 1999 although Lam's sublease was paid until June 2000. According to Spohn, when Ige threatened Lam with eviction if he didn't pay the advance, Ige knew the California owners he was leasing the land from were planning to evict Ige within three weeks for failure to pay back rent.
The attempted tax evasion charge stems from Ige's failure to disclose to the state Department of Taxation the $30,000 he received from Morris and Rita Wolfred, an elderly California couple, to have their daughter's criminal record here expunged. The first-degree theft and money laundering counts that were dropped were related to the Wolfred case.
Simms said the agreement was "fair and appropriate" and stated she would be bound by it unless new information surfaces in a presentencing report.
Spohn said he was pleased with the plea agreement, which he first pitched to Sing in August. The ages of the Wolfreds — Morris is 85 and his wife 75 — and their desire not to travel to Hawai'i along with Ige making restitution were key considerations for offering a plea, Spohn said.
With a change of plea, Ige also gives up his right to appeal, Spohn said.
The Wolfreds have been repaid, and he is making restitution payments to Lam, Ige said.
"It's paid off, it was done three months ago," Ige said, "Because (the state) dropped Wolfred, it's important to me — as I've said all along — that I say nothing more.
"With the farmer (Lam), I was wrong," he said. "I've been paying him back. The balance right now is $4,000."
When asked how he's earning a living, Ige said only that he's self-employed. Ige said he has fulfilled about one-third of the 400 hours of community service ordered as part of his probation for campaign spending violations. Ige was found guilty of the violations after he pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to probation in April.
The volunteer work has been performed at Duo Diagnosis Drug Rehabilitation Center.
"I just have to work hard, twice as hard as I've ever worked," Ige said of his future. "At 48, my candle is burning shorter."
