Two state sheriff’s deputies arranged with Honolulu police officer Landon K. Rudolfo to have their sport utility vehicle “stolen” so they could make a fraudulent claim with their insurer, an assistant U.S. attorney told a jury in federal court Tuesday.

Rudolfo is on trial in U.S. District Court for knowingly purchasing a stolen vehicle from another Honolulu police officer and arranging, with that officer, to steal the deputy sheriffs’ SUV.

The other, now former, police officer, Roddy Takao Tsunezumi, is serving a 33-month federal prison sentence for attempted extortion in an unrelated scheme. He is scheduled to testify against Rudolfo.

Defense lawyer Keith Shigetomi told the jury in opening statements that Rudolfo didn’t know the 2000 Toyota 4Runner he purchased from Tsunezumi was stolen. He said Tsunezumi is pointing the finger at Rudolfo to get a sentencing reduction.

Tsunezumi, 39, has so far completed less than half of his prison sentence.

Neither of the two sheriff’s deputies accused of asking Rudolfo to have their red 2008 Nissan Rogue stolen has been charged with a crime. The indictment charging Rudolfo with conspiring to and trafficking stolen vehicles identifies the deputies only as Person 1 and Person 2.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Wallenstein said in court papers that the government does intend to identify Person 1 and Person 2 during the trial. A state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman confirmed that both are deputy sheriffs, and said the department is monitoring the situation.

After Tsunezumi was arrested and started cooperating with the FBI, he told Rudolfo that he too was in trouble. Rudolfo then sent a text message to one of the deputy sheriffs to arrange an in-person meeting, according to the court papers.

The Honolulu Police Department says Rudolfo, an 11-year HPD veteran, is on leave without pay.