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Pearl City, Kapolei men charged in felony theft cases

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Michael Powers, 48, of Pearl City.

Two Oahu residents have been charged in separate cases alleging theft of state accounts totaling more than $750,000.

Michael Powers, a 48-year-old, convicted felon from Pearl City, was charged Friday with attempted first-degree theft and multiple counts of forgery in the second degree after he allegedly wrote 22 forged checks totaling $715,696.92.

Powers allegedly used state Department of Budget and Finance bank routing numbers and account numbers, state Attorney General Doug Chin said in a statement.

In the second case, Michael K. Mills, 30, of Kapolei, was charged on Friday with first-degree theft after he allegedly billed the state more than $35,000 in equipment and supplies that were not related to a state contract with Mills’ employer.

“State dollars are your taxpayer dollars,” Chin said in a statement. “People who cheat the state will be prosecuted.”

Bail for Mills and Powers was set at $5,000 and bench warrants were issued for their arrests, Chin’s office said.

Conviction of first-degree theft carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $25,000. Forgery in the second degree is punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

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