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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 10:22 a.m., Friday, January 16, 2009

Wayward fiance being held on Maui

By LILA FUJIMOTO
Maui News

WAILUKU - A Minnesota man sought on a fugitive warrant is being held at Maui Community Correctional Center, after police tracked him to a Makena hotel room, where he was Tasered before being handcuffed and arrested last week, The Maui News reported today.

The no-bail warrant for Raymond Jackson, 40, was verified by investigator Doug Ducklow of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department in Ellsworth, Wis. Jackson was being sought for theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.

According to court records, Jackson left Wisconsin on Dec. 23, allegedly using a woman's credit card number to buy airline tickets to Maui. He reportedly had told the Wisconsin woman, whom he was supposed to marry in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve, that he was traveling to North Dakota for a business meeting.

He also had the woman's cellular telephone, which was monitored along with her credit card to trace some of Jackson's movements, court records show. He allegedly tried to use the credit card Dec. 26 at a Maui florist to buy $160 in roses. He also reportedly had stayed at a Kahana hotel and attended a time-share presentation on Maui.

Suspecting Jackson was in the Lahaina area, Ducklow had been in contact with Lahaina police detectives, informing them of the fugitive warrant. Last Friday afternoon, after Jackson called the woman from the Maui Prince Hotel, detectives and Kihei patrol officers went to the Makena hotel.

When Jackson didn't answer a telephone call to the room in which he was staying, police went to the door and knocked. Jackson opened the door as police were preparing to kick it in. He was ordered to lie on the floor but instead turned and appeared to be walking away toward the open lanai door when a police officer deployed a Taser stun gun to immobilize Jackson, according to police.

Jackson had checked into the Makena hotel on Jan. 7. When he was informed that the credit card he had presented was denied, Jackson told police he didn't have any way to pay the $800 bill for the room and other charges. Police reported finding $6.67 in his pockets, along with a Russian coin.

Jackson said the Wisconsin woman had driven him to the airport and given him her laptop computer, cellular telephone and credit card number.

In luggage in the room, police also found the woman's compact disc player and toothbrush. Police also recovered Jackson's passport, other identification and receipts for shows at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort, diving and surfing lessons and a Hana tour.

According to court documents, Jackson told police he had given the Wisconsin woman's diamond ring and pearl necklace to his new girlfriend. After meeting his new girlfriend online, he said the two met in person on Maui. The new girlfriend had returned to Azerbaijan, Jackson told police when he was arrested.

He reportedly had been planning to leave Maui for Russia.

Jackson has past arrests for theft, credit card fraud and abuse in California, Minnesota, Tennessee, Mississippi and Wisconsin, according to court records.

During a hearing Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court, Jackson agreed to waive extradition to be returned to Wisconsin to face charges there.

He was back in court Thursday for arraignment on a theft charge stemming from his activities on Maui. During the arraignment hearing, 2nd Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza told Jackson that he wouldn't be taken back to Wisconsin while he has a pending criminal case on Maui.

He pleaded not guilty to second-degree theft, with a trial set for April 6.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.