Posted on: Thursday, June 19, 2003

Judge approves deferral for theft

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

A former Honolulu Police Department food service worker will be able to avoid a permanent criminal record for second-degree theft if he stays out of trouble for the next five years and abides by conditions similar to probation.

Circuit Judge Michael Town yesterday granted a request by Ernest Villanueva to defer acceptance of a guilty plea entered in December 2001.

City Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee did not oppose the deferral, and told Town that Villanueva had cooperated fully in an investigation of the so-called police "food scam."

The investigation also led to theft charges against former Assistant Police Chief Rafael Fajardo, former police Maj. Jeffrey Owens and former police detective John Spondike, who all pleaded no contest. The four were accused of using public money that was meant to buy food for cellblock inmates to feed a small group of police officers at the main station on Beretania Street from 1995 to 2000.

Town also ordered Villanueva to repay the city $314.95 and perform 100 hours of community service.