Police Beat
Advertiser Staff
Man gets probation in gambling case
A man who acknowledged being the second in command in terms of providing protection to what a federal prosecutor described as the largest illegal gambling operation on O'ahu was sentenced to four years probation in federal court yesterday.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni said she did not oppose the granting of probation for Steve M. Crouch, who she said was instrumental in helping to prosecute the people primarily responsible for operating a major illegal gambling room in Chinatown.
Crouch was one of 32 people arrested in May 2000 following a three-year undercover investigation by federal authorities into illegal gambling on O'ahu.
Kona man charged in stabbing
HILO, Hawai'i — Kona police have charged a 42-year-old man with stabbing his former girlfriend during an argument Sunday.
Police said Darrell Inere of Kailua, Kona, was arrested at 11:50 a.m. yesterday at a home in Keauhou-mauka. He was charged with attempted murder, assault and burglary, and was held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $57,000 bail.
Police said Inere entered his former girlfriend's home in Captain Cook shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday, and began to argue with her. He allegedly stabbed her once in the abdomen before fleeing.
The injured woman, 51, was reported in stable condition at Kona Community Hospital.
Explosive device found on arrestee
A Kailua man was charged Friday with possession of a prohibited explosive device.
Kenny K. Lukela, 25, was arraigned yesterday at District Court and is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Police said they arrested Lukela on Thursday at 11:19 p.m. in Chinatown near 126 N. Puahi St. on suspicion of disorderly conduct for allegedly swinging a knife.
While booking him at the Chinatown substation, police said they found a homemade explosive device in a bag Lukela was carrying.
Man accused of stealing tools
Police charged a 26-year-old Waikiki man Saturday in the theft of tools from the maintenance building at the Ala Wai Golf Course. Brad Storck of Ala Wai Boulevard is charged with second-degree burglary. His bail was set at $11,000. Police responded to an alarm alert Friday at 11:20 p.m. and said they saw Storck coming out of the maintenance building.
