Task Force Aimed at Criminal Offenders in Hilo and Puna Results in Eight Arrests

Eight arrests were made as a result of increased apprehension efforts in recent weeks by a Hawaiʻi Police Department Task Force aimed at criminal offenders in Hilo and Puna.

Police arrested and charged Wailani Kenui, Natasia Fontes, Bronson Oili, Lance Ishibashi, Kuuipo Kalani, Brandon Cabral, Jadelin Grammer, and Jason Mitchell with arrest warrants.

The enforcement was conducted over a two week period between Aug. 12 and 23 and is part of a focus aimed at deterring crime and crime prevention with suspects identified involvement in serious crimes.

Police used arrest warrants in the removal of these suspects as a means of trying to get the offenders off the street.

“The primary goal of this Task Force is to identify the offenders that have ties to offenses involving drugs, auto thefts or potentially having possession of firearms, and apprehend them as quickly as possible before we have bigger issues,” saud South Hilo Patrol Captain Kenneth Quiocho.

“The Puna District is our neighbor, so Captain Briski (Puna Patrol District Commander) and I collaborated and elected to work on our crime issues together. We assembled a Task Force focusing on lowering the crime in the districts. It has been very effective thus far, and it’s a work in progress.”

Police say the eight arrests are in addition to the recent apprehension of Joshua Hams who went on a crime spree spanning several districts while in possession of a firearm.

Earlier in the week, police also arrested and charged a Hilo man after finding him in possession of a rifle. A search warrant executed on the truck he was operating resulted in the recovery of another rifle, ammunition and drugs, according to police.

Wailani Kenui, Natasia Fontes, Bronson Oili, Kuuipo Kalani, Lance Ishibashi, Brandon Cabral, Jadelin Grammer and Jason Mitchell. Photos courtesy: Hawai’i Island Police.

Wailani Kenui

Jason Mitchell

Jadelin Grammer

Brandon Cabral

Lance Ishibashi

Kuuipo Kalani

Bronson Oili

Natasia Fontes

Joshua Hams