Ewa Beach man gets 88 months for stealing fireworks

A former Ewa Beach man was sentenced to 88 months in prison after stealing a truckload of pyrotechnics from the company that puts on the Friday night fireworks show at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki.

Malcolm Militante, 51, was ordered to pay nearly $3,000 in restitution to Hawaii Explosives & Pyrotechnics.

On Nov. 25, 2016, the company reported a truck stolen and the burglary of its storage bunker containing fireworks, related supplies and equipment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Hawaii office.

The next day the Honolulu Police Department received an anonymous tip that Militante was keeping the stolen fireworks at the Ewa Beach home he shared with his mother, which led to a search of the residence.

Militante was later indicted for stealing the fireworks and for being a convicted felon in possession of explosives.

Police officers arrested Militante Nov. 9 and also recovered a backpack containing about 29 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, other drug paraphernalia and $6,000 in cash. Militante was later indicted in a separate case for possessing the methamphetamine while intending to distribute it.

In January Militante pleaded guilty to possession of explosives and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and the two cases were joined for the purpose of sentencing.

U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson imposed the 88-month sentence to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, Watson said storing the fireworks at his home put both him and his mother at risk.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted with the investigation.