Federal agents seized a large collection of firearms — including a fully automatic M-16A1 assault rifle — and 23,000 rounds of ammunition from the Kauai home of a U.S. Postal Service worker, who is accused of using someone else’s address and firearms license to make unauthorized firearm purchases from out of state.
Troy Haruki Hamura, 51, of Lihue also used his job as a letter carrier to intercept the packages, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Hino said in federal court Thursday.
Hamura is facing charges of possessing a machine gun and lying about having permission to use the other person’s firearm license to buy a weapon.
He made his first court appearance on the charges Thursday.
Hamura remains in custody pending a probable-cause determination and indictment by a grand jury.
However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi ordered Hamura released to a halfway house on Oahu when space is available.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said its agents interviewed Hamura at his home June 14 about his selling an unregistered firearm to another person.
Hino said the buyer was unable to register the weapon because it was not previously registered on Kauai.
During the interview, Hamura said he had a federal firearms license for about 20 years, the ATF said. His license expired Sept. 1, 2001.
Hamura also said he used signed copies of someone else’s firearms license to make 15 to 20 unauthorized firearm purchases. When the weapons arrived in the mail, addressed to the firearm license holder’s business, Hamura told the agents he was able to intercept the packages because the business is on his postal delivery route.
During the interview, Hamura turned in 19 unregistered firearms, including the M-16A1 assault rifle, and told the agents the rifle is a machine gun.
The M-16A1 can fire in semiautomatic and full-automatic modes, the ATF said. Semiautomatic mode means the rounds are chambered automatically, but only one bullet is fired when the trigger is pulled.
Hamura told the agents he bought the rifle from a friend in the Kilauea area for $2,000 and admitted that it was not registered.
Hino said Hamura refuses to help authorities identify the person he bought the rifle from. The rifle is stamped "Property of the U.S. Government" and has not been reported lost or stolen.
When federal agents went back to Hamura’s home Wednesday to execute a search warrant, Hino said, they found 10 rifles and 20 handguns, all registered to Hamura, and 23,000 rounds of ammunition.
Hamura is not charged with crimes involving the 30 registered firearms and ammunition.
The court’s pretrial services had recommended he be released on bond with supervision on Kauai.
Hino objected, saying the government doesn’t know how many other unauthorized firearm purchases Hamura has made and is concerned about his mental state. He said the pretrial services discovered Hamura is taking medication and is under a doctor’s care for depression and other mental conditions.
Hino also said when ATF agents went to Hamura’s home Wednesday after he had already agreed to cooperate, Hamura "bolted" when he saw the agents, took a rifle equipped with a scope from a safe and hid in the bathroom of his home.
Defense lawyer Keith Shigetomi said Hamura’s doctor indicated Hamura does not exhibit any risk factors. If Hamura is released to return to Kauai, he would work in the family business where the family could supervise him, Shigetomi said. Hamura’s family operates Hamura Saimin Stand in Lihue.
Puglisi said Hamura can ask for a change in his detention if he performs well while at the halfway house.
Hamura in 1995 pleaded no contest to a harassment charge, for which he was granted a one-year deferral. He has a 2005 conviction for carrying a firearm without a permit, for which he received a one-year probation sentence. Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe also ordered Hamura to continue mental health treatment until he is clinically discharged and the confiscation of the .308 caliber rifle and 10-round magazine.
