A 51-year-old Hale'iwa man was sentenced in Los Angeles yesterday to 10 months imprisonment and ordered to pay the Hawai'i Department of Land & Natural Resources $30,000 for his part in a conspiracy to remove more than 150 tons of live rock and coral from Kane'ohe Bay.

John Marquardsen pleaded guilty Aug. 23 to removing live rock, which is considered wildlife under both state and federal laws, from a protected area and shipping it by commercial airlines to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle from 1994 through 1998 using bills of lading falsely describing the rock as "smoked fish."

The coral was distributed on the Mainland to fish and marine supply shops.

The estimated value of the stolen coral is between $350,000 and $1 million, according to the U.S. attorney’s office of Central District California, where Marquardsen was sentenced.

King Wong, 57, of Honolulu was previously sentenced to serve 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $30,000 restitution to the state of Hawai'i. Three others involved in the conspiracy have been convicted and have either been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.

Man charged in spear gun case

A 22-year-old Kona man was charged yesterday with assault for allegedly shooting another man with a spear gun Sunday.

Markdean Kalalau Jr. of a Kaloko Industrial Park address was being held yesterday on $30,000 bail. He is accused of shooting Wendell Kahaialii, 28, in the abdomen.

Kahaialii was in guarded condition yesterday at Kona Community Hospital.

Water main bursts in Po'ipu

PO'IPU, Kaua'i — An aged water main serving the Po'ipu area burst yesterday morning, disrupting service to the region.

Most residents and businesses would have noticed a loss of water pressure that continued for much of the day in isolated areas, said Water Department spokeswoman Kymm Solchaga. Crews diverted water from the Koloa system to keep water flowing.