Big Island Mayor “Billy” Kenoi Indicted for Felony Theft

Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Billy Kenoi. File photo courtesy County of Maui Office of Council Services.

Today a Hawaiʻi Island grand jury indicted Hawaiʻi County Mayor William “Billy” P. Kenoi for two counts of felony theft, two additional counts of misdemeanor theft, three counts of tampering with a government record and one count of false swearing.

The charges stem from alleged conduct taking place from 2011 through 2015 while Mayor Kenoi was in office.

The charges include the following:

Counts 1 and 2: Theft in the Second Degree, Class C felonies each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Counts 3 and 4: Theft in the Third Degree, misdemeanors each punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Counts 5, 6 and 7: Tampering with a Government Record, misdemeanors each punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Count 8: False Swearing, a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Attorney General Doug Chin issued a statement today saying, “The Department of the Attorney General sought this indictment after an intensive investigation that lasted almost a year. I thank the investigators and prosecutors for their efforts.”

An indictment is a finding of probable cause and is not a criminal conviction. Mayor Kenoi is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.