Former Kauai police clerk charged with computer fraud, theft

A Kauai grand jury has indicted a former clerk of the Kauai Police Department on charges of computer fraud and theft involving alleged misconduct of funds collected on behalf of the state.

The grand jury returned an indictment against Mikalynn Hiranaka, charging her with first-degree computer fraud and first-degree theft. Hiranaka was employed as a clerk in the police department’s Records Division at the time of the alleged crime.

Hiranaka surrendered to law enforcement May 12 and was released after posting a $10,000 bail bond. She is scheduled to appear at her arraignment at Kauai Circuit Court on May 24.

The indictment alleged Hiranaka used a computer “with the intent to commit theft of more than $20,000 worth of property” from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, Hawaii Department of Attorney General by creating and submitting counter service reports to the police department from March 2017 through October 2019.

The court document also alleged Hiranaka” intentionally obtained or exerted unauthorized control over the property” of the justice data center in the form of fees collected on behalf of the data center in excess of $20,000.

First-degree computer fraud is a class A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000, if convicted. First-degree theft is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

The Department of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division coordinated with the Kauai Police Department on the investigation.