Katherine Kealoha

Katherine Puana Kealoha is a former Deputy Prosecutor with the City and County of Honolulu and a convicted felon. She resigned from the position of deputy prosecutor in September 2017 after she and her husband Louis Kealoha were indicted on eight counts of bank fraud. Her husband is a former Chief of Police.[1]

Education

Kealoha grew up in Kahalu‘u, on the windward side of Oahu.[2] She attended high school at the Mid-Pacific Institute. She obtained a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration at Chaminade University. Kealoha attended the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received a Juris Doctor.[3]

Career

Kealoha worked at the Law Offices of Katherine Kealoha and Associates between 2000 and 2006.[4] Kealoha was appointed as the director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control in 2009 by then-governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle.[5]

Civil case

In 2011, Kealoha was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her grandmother, Florence Puana. Kealoha's grandmother and uncle, Gerard Puana filed a civil suit against Kealoha based on the accusations. Kealoha won the civil suit against her grandmother and uncle.[6]

Mailbox theft incident

On June 22, 2013, Kealoha reported to the Honolulu Police that her mailbox was stolen from her home in Kahala. Kealoha alleged that her uncle Gerard could be seen stealing the mailbox on video taken via her home surveillance system. After having the case transferred from Honolulu Police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service determined that the man in the video was not Gerard Puana. On July 1, 2013, Gerard Puana was charged by federal prosecutors with destroying a mailbox. Puana's trial began on December 4, 2014. While testifying against Puana, Kealoha's husband, Louis Kealoha perpetuated a mistrial[7] by informing the jury about Puana's former criminal conviction. In December 2013, Niall Silva, a retired policeman from the Honolulu Police Department, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Katherine Kealoha to frame Gerard Puana.[8]

On June 27, 2019, Kealoha was convicted of federal conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges.[9]

In January 2020, Kealoha was scheduled for trial on allegations of bank fraud and identity theft.[10] In October 2019, Kealoha pled guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and drug charges as part of a plea arrangement.[11]

On November 30, 2020, she was sentenced to 13 years in Federal prison.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Katherine Kealoha resigns as deputy prosecutor". KHON2. Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  2. ^ Dashefsky, Howard (May 2010). "Dynamic Duo" (PDF). law.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Hawaii Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation". hlemf.org. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Katherine Kealoha, Esq". LinkedIn.Com. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Kealoha gets environmental nod". Honolulu Star Bulletin. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  6. ^ Kawano, Lynn (24 August 2017). "'I felt like I was nothing': Grandma who launched Kealoha probe speaks out". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  7. ^ Bellware, Kim (December 3, 2020). "A prosecutor and police chief were adored in their community. Then their scheme unraveled". The Washington Post.
  8. ^ "Timeline: Case against Kealohas began with alleged mailbox theft". Honolulu Star Advertiser. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  9. ^ Nakaso, Dan; Perez, Rob (2019-06-27). "Louis and Katherine Kealoha, 2 co-defendants found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
  10. ^ Kawano, Lynn (2019-08-02). "Katherine Kealoha refuses to leave detention center for court hearing". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  11. ^ Nakaso, Dan (2020-11-30). "Former Honolulu police chief Louis Kealoha sentenced to 7 years in prison; Katherine Kealoha gets 13 years". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  12. ^ "5 years after investigation into Kealohas began, former Honolulu power couple sentenced". MSN. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-21.