Man investigated in firearms case disappeared

A Kilauea, Kauai, man who was the target of a federal firearms investigation has disappeared, presumably while swimming off Ninini Beach last month, federal prosecutor Tracy Hino said in U.S. District Court Monday.

Scott Akina, 55, was the focus of an investigation as to how Troy Haruki Hamura, a fellow Kauai postal worker at the time, obtained a U.S. military M-16 rifle.

A federal judge sentenced Hamura to 35 months in prison Monday for possessing a machine gun, the M-16, and for using someone else’s federal gun dealer’s license to buy firearms from the mainland.

U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway also fined Hamura $10,000.

Hamura, 51, turned himself in on March 8 to get a head start on serving his prison term in advance of his sentencing.

Hamura pleaded guilty in September. As part of his plea deal, prosecutor Hino said, Hamura signed a cooperation agreement to help authorities prosecute Akina, who Hamura said had sold him the M-16.

The plan was for Hamura to call Akina to talk about the rifle while agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives monitored and recorded the conversation.

Hamura called Akina on Feb. 14 while Akina was at work, according to an ATF affidavit unsealed Monday.

The ATF said Hamura later admitted he had sent Akina a letter warning him of the call and to say that he didn’t know anything about the M-16.

In the recorded conversation, the ATF said, Akina told Hamura he received the letter and said he was surprised that Hamura told him to deny any knowledge of the rifle because he had nothing to do with it. Akina also told Hamura he would like to help him but he can’t lie, the ATF said.

Hino said authorities spoke with Akina on Feb. 21.

On Feb. 26, Kauai police, firefighters and lifeguards, state conservation resource enforcement officers and the Coast Guard launched a land, sea and air search after a family member reported that Akina failed to return from a workout.

Police found some of his personal belongings at Ninini Beach. The search was suspended on March 2.

In court Monday, Hamura apologized to his family, friends and the people of Kauai. He said he accepts full responsibility for his actions and that he has learned his lesson. Hamura also said he sent Akina the warning letter because he didn’t want anybody else to get in trouble for his actions.

Hamura previously admitted that he made 15 to 20 unauthorized firearm purchases using someone else’s gun dealer’s license, had the guns mailed to the gun dealer’s address, then intercepted the packages while on the job or had fellow postal workers deliver the packages to him.