Posted on: Tuesday, July 2, 2002

Ex-senator Ige begins six month prison term

Associated Press

Former state Sen. Marshall Ige turned himself into the custody of state sheriffs yesterday to begin serving his six-month prison term.

Ige, 47, was sentenced last week for second-degree theft, attempted tax evasion and three misdemeanor tax counts.

Ige, a Democrat who represented O'ahu's Kane'ohe area in the House and Senate for 16 years, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges he took $37,000 under false pretenses.

Prosecutors say Ige still shows no remorse for his crimes.

"Those who make the law are supposed to be our examples and we expect them to protect us from criminals, not to become criminals themselves," Deputy Attorney General Kurt Spohn said.

Ige was accused of taking $7,000 in advance sublease rent from Vietnamese orchid farmer Hanh Lam at a time Ige was being evicted for failure to pay back rent on his lease of the land.

Ige was also accused of attempted tax evasion for failing to disclose that he received $30,000 from a California couple, promising to have their daughter's criminal record in Hawai'i expunged, something he could not do.