Prosecutor vows to continue gaming machine investigation
2014 May 5 CTY - City Prosecutor, Keith Kaneshiro, left) held a press conference announcing the arrest of suspects involved in illegal gambling on Oahu along with (L-R) Police Chief Louis Kealoha, Major Jerry Inouye of Narcotics and Vice Dept. and Assistant Police Chief Susan Dowsett at the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney's Office on Monday, May 5, 2014. Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo by Krystle Marcellus
After three years and countless hours of investigation, city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro said he’s not through in his pursuit of alleged gambling with sweepstakes machines.
“This is not the end of this investigation,” Kaneshiro said at a news conference Monday. “We have ongoing investigations.”
Joining him at his office were top brass of the Honolulu Police Department, including Police Chief Louis Kealoha.
Kaneshiro said the indictment of nine individuals Wednesday on 414 counts of gambling promotion, racketeering, possession of gambling devices and money laundering had nothing to do with a ruling that day by a federal judge.
Judge Leslie Kobayashi ruled Wednesday in a lawsuit that the manner in which the Products Direct Sweepstakes machines were used constitutes gambling.
Kaneshiro said the grand jury convened Wednesday, and the indictment had been sealed by a state judge until Monday.
