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A state judge sentenced a former Honolulu Liquor Commission employee Wednesday to five years of probation for bribery.
Loreto R. Raquel Jr. of Wahiawa earlier pleaded guilty to selling a liquor card to one person and agreeing to sell a card to another person.
A liquor card allows the recipient to legally sell or serve alcohol.
Circuit Judge Glenn Kim sentenced Raquel, 40, to five years of probation and ordered him to perform 300 hours of community service. Raquel had been facing up to 10 years in prison for each charge.
"In our view the court sentence grossly minimizes the defendant’s criminal conduct," said Chris Van Marter, deputy city prosecutor.
Raquel, a former Maui police officer, deliberately failed an applicant for a liquor card three times, then extorted a bribe from the applicant for a liquor card, Van Marter said. Raquel told the applicant he could do the same for the applicant’s friend.
Police conducted a sting operation on Feb. 16, 2011, and arrested Raquel after he went to Salt Lake Shopping Center to sell the card.
Raquel resigned from his job following his arrest.
