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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, February 23, 2006

Federal rackets charges brought

Advertiser Staff

Two men awaiting trial on murder charges in connection with the 2004 Pali Golf Course killings were indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month on charges of running an organized-crime and gambling operation, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Rodney Joseph, and Kevin "Poncho" Gonsalves, both of whom were indicted at the county level in connection with the golf-course shootings that left two men dead, were implicated in the conspiracy along with Kai Ming Wang and Siaosi Alapati.

The four men allegedly ran an illegal gambling operation that including robbery and extortion.

The men are charged with operating a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization, or RICO, and several counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering. The four-count indictment charges the men were part of a criminal organization whose members and associates "engaged in illegal gambling and acts of violence, including robbery and extortion," in Hawai'i, according to the U.S. attorney's office.