Nuisance complaint filed to stop illegal game rooms on Oahu

Honolulu’s Department of the Prosecuting Attorney has filed what it says is a rarely used civil nuisance abatement complaint against a McCully property owner to combat illegal game rooms on Oahu.

On Aug. 23 the city filed the complaint against KC Management, its agent Wai Tung Kwok and a third defendant for their alleged involvement in a game room operation at 845 McCully St.

“For too long the residents of the City and County of Honolulu have had to put up with illegal game rooms that attract criminals and bring drugs and weapons into our communities,” Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said in a statement. “These are not families sitting in their living rooms enjoying friendly wagers over sports games. … These are professional establishments that rake in thousands of dollars per day, degrade the quality of life of those living near them, and are too often the scene of violent armed robberies and assaults.”

The Honolulu Police Department, which has been shutting down the operations faster this year, say there are anywhere from 50 to 80 illegal game rooms on the island on any given day. They can be set up and broken down quickly, avoiding detection, and can move from location to location.

The civil action accuses the defendants of causing or allowing a nuisance at the property because of the illegal game room and is asking the Circuit Court to permanently prohibit them from residing or entering the property. The complaint also could potentially close the property for any use for up to one year.

The third defendant in the complaint, Tom Tran, was an alleged cashier for the illegal game room. He is awaiting trial for three criminal gambling offenses on the same property. In all three cases, Tran was charged with second-degree promoting gambling and possession of a gambling device.

The earliest of those charges was for an alleged operation in November 2019, the second in October 2020 and the third was for a June operation.

Civil asset forfeiture cases are often used to seize money from illegal game gambling operations, although Alm plans on using more nuisance abatement cases going forward.

“In addition to vigorously prosecuting those who operate the game rooms, I am committed to using every means available, including civil nuisance abatement and civil asset forfeiture laws, to hold property owners accountable for their illegal actions,” he said in a statement.

Matt Dvonch, special counsel to the prosecuting attorney, told the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser that the prosecuting attorney’s office is working with HPD to develop additional nuisance abatement cases against illegal game rooms.