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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Ex-police officer gets probation, credit for time served in ice case

By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 62-year-old former police officer who has a burglary conviction was placed on five years probation yesterday for possession of crystal methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a rifle recovered in a drug raid of his Kalihi home last year.

Acting Circuit Judge David Lo ordered Rogelio "Roger" Mata to serve 348 days in jail, but granted him credit for the 348 days in custody while awaiting the outcome of the case. Mata was expected to be released yesterday.

City Deputy Prosecutor Melissa Karlen asked for a maximum 10-year sentence. She said Mata didn't learn from his past mistakes and his "betrayal of trust" when convicted of burglary in 1992.

She also said Mata's home had surveillance video cameras and paraphernalia that included glass pipes, scales and other items that suggest Mata was selling drugs.

Deputy Public Defender Ronette Kawakami objected to the suggestion. She said Mata was never charged with sales and if it were true, he should have been charged.

Kawakami said Mata paid his debt by serving his 10-year burglary sentence and has arranged for a place to stay and a job if released.

Lo noted Mata did not commit violent crimes, completed his prior sentence and does not have any prior drug convictions. But the judge said he hopes Mata will address his "substance abuse problems."

During the raid in October last year, authorities recovered .387 gram of crystal methamphetamine and 135 fluid ounces of a liquid that contained methamphetamine, but it was not determined how much of the drug was in the liquid, said Jim Fulton, aide to the city prosecutor.

Mata was a police officer from 1971 until he was convicted in 1992 for conspiring to burglarize four Hawai'i Kai homes.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.