Ex-lunch truck owner sentenced
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
The former owner of the popular Giovanni's Aloha Shrimp lunchwagon was sentenced yesterday to up to 20 years in prison for her involvement in forcing the new owner at gunpoint to sell the business back.
A jury in June found Connie Aragona, 48, guilty of first-degree robbery, second-degree extortion, kidnapping and second-degree theft. Circuit Court Judge Michael Town gave Aragona 20-year prison terms for each of the robbery, extortion and kidnapping charges and five years for the theft charge. The terms will run concurrently.
ARAGONA
Troy Nitsche, who bought the Kahuku gourmet shrimp lunchwagon from Aragona and her former husband in 1997, testified at trial that Aragona asked him to meet with her at her Pearl City office on Aug. 19, 2001.
Nitsche said that at the meeting, two men shoved guns in his face and ordered him to take Aragona's offer to buy the business back for the same price he had paid in 1997. He said that the men threatened to harm him or his family if he did not agree, and that he signed the contract after being beaten.
Hours later Aragona went to the Kahuku shrimp truck and took a cash box containing $3,500, the day's receipts.
"Basically this case is about greed, that's what it was," city Deputy Prosecutor Franklin "Don" Pacarro Jr. said yesterday.
Carl "Pete" Depietropaolo, who pleaded guilty to robbery, extortion and theft charges relating to the case, had testified that Aragona recruited him to hire two men to persuade Nitsche to sell the business back. Pacarro said those two men have never been identified.
Aragona has denied the charges and testified that Depietropaolo had been extorting money from her by threatening her daughter. She said that he arranged the meeting and demanded she be there, and that she was shocked by what happened.
Pacarro said he has not yet decided the minimum prison term he would recommend to the Hawai'i Paroling Authority, "but she should do some substantial time for what she did."
"I can tell you we're not going to request the low minimum, that's for sure," Pacarro said.
Aragona's lawyer, Dwight Lum, said Aragona "stands by what she said happened to her and we do plan to proceed with an appeal."
He said his understanding is that Aragona's teenage daughter will stay with a family member on the Mainland.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.
