Posted on: Saturday, January 29, 2005

Four plead guilty in Harris probe

Advertiser Staff

Four architects pleaded guilty yesterday to misdemeanors related to illegal donations to former mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign, but were given a chance to have their case dropped if they each pay a fine of $2,000 and stay out of trouble for a year.

Dexter Yee, 57; Maurice Kondo, 56; and Dennis Nakamoto, 56, each pleaded guilty to making donations under false names, according to the city prosecutor's office. Dennis Irie, 62, pleaded guilty to making contributions over the limit, the office said.

Honolulu District Judge Fa'auuga To'oto'o granted the defense requests to defer accepting their pleas to give them the chance to have the charge dismissed.

The four are the latest of dozens of architects, engineers and others prosecuted for illegal campaign donations to the Harris campaign. Harris has not been charged and his lawyers deny he did anything wrong.