Bail denied for third defendant in Shack Waikiki extortion case

All three men accused of extortion involving The Shack Waikiki restaurant must remain in custody pending the conclusion of their criminal prosecutions.

A federal judge denied bail this afternoon for 30-year-old Jesse Yoshino. The other two defendants, Curtis Swanson and Tory Winward, both 44, were denied bail earlier this week.

The government says the three men used threats and violence to force out the orignal owners of the restaurant.

The FBI says it has video of Yoshino punching Brendan Burchfiel, one of the original owners, in an unprovoked attack in the restaurant last November.

Yoshino’s lawyer says Yoshino denies that’s him in the video. And court officials who interviewed Yoshino before today’s bail hearing said Yoshino denies any involvement in the attack.