Posted on: Sunday, March 3, 2002

Big Island men charged with stealing koa trees

Associated Press

HILO, Hawai'i — Two Big Island men have been indicted on charges of stealing more than $100,000 worth of koa trees from public land.

Aaron Cypriano, 34, and Herbert De Costa Jr., 36, both of Honoka'a, are accused of illegally removing 31 koa trees from the state's Hilo Forest Reserve on Saddle Road, above Hilo's Kaumana area.

They also are accused of stealing three trees from state land near 'O'okala and three from Kamehameha Schools property in the area.

The two are scheduled to stand trial on May 6 on first-degree theft charges, which carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence. De Costa also is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Bail was set at $3,000 for De Costa, who is serving a six-month sentence at the Hawai'i Community Correctional Center, the public defender's office said. Cypriano was released on $2,000 bail.

Lanny Terlap, Division of Conservation and Enforcement branch chief, said it is the largest case of tree theft on the Big Island. But he said an even larger theft of state trees is now being investigated.

Most of the stolen trees were recovered and are being stored in Hilo, Terlap said. When the case is finished, the Department of Land and Natural Resources likely will distribute the timber to island schools.

Koa is a native hardwood prized by craftsmen and artisans, and is used in the construction of traditional Hawaiian canoes.