Posted on: Wednesday, February 19, 2003

Robber with multiple convictions gets life

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 31-year-old Kalihi man who had amassed 76 arrests and 39 convictions since 1990 was sentenced yesterday to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the April 2001 home invasion-style robbery of a Makiki man and his girlfriend at a Kewalo Street apartment.

Circuit Judge Sandra Simms granted a request by city deputy prosecutor Lori Wada to extend the sentence for Arthur Birano on the basis of his prior convictions, which include at least one other robbery in which a firearm was used.

After a trial in September, Birano was found guilty of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, and use of a firearm in commission of a crime.

Wada said that after Birano's arrest near the Kapalama Canal for the Makiki robbery, police found in his backpack a semi-automatic machine pistol that had 30 rounds of ammunition in its magazine.

A second man involved in the robbery, Bryce Takara, 27, was sentenced yesterday to up to 20 years in prison on kidnapping, robbery and burglary charges.

A third man who took part in the robbery, Nicholas Nakano, is scheduled to be sentenced in March.