Teen indicted in Punchbowl shooting

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Seventeen-year-old Miti "Junior" Maugaotega Jr. was indicted by the O'ahu grand jury yesterday in the shooting and robbery of a Punchbowl man in his home on June 26.

Maugaotega, who turns 18 Sept. 29, was waived by Family Court on Friday to be prosecuted as an adult. He will be tried on charges of attempted second-degree murder, plus firearm, robbery, burglary and drug counts. Bail is $500,000.

In a statement yesterday to Circuit Judge Dan Kochi, deputy prosecuting attorney Vickie Kapp described Maugaotega as a "major offender and a danger to the victim and community."

Kapp also noted that Maugaotega was in possession of 100 items of jewelry, drugs and drug paraphernalia when he was arrested near Hawai'i Baptist Academy in Nu'uanu less than an hour after the shooting.

The jewelry was stolen from Eric Kawamoto's Punchbowl residence, Kapp said.

Kawamoto was shot once with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol.

If convicted of attempted murder as an adult, Maugaotega will face life in prison with the possibility of parole. If he were to be tried and convicted as a juvenile, state law would require his release by age 19.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.