Former Department of Planning and Permitting building plans examiner sentenced for taking bribes

A federal judge on Monday sentenced a former city building plans examiner to 2 1/2 years in prison and two years of supervised release for soliciting and accepting bribes to expedite permit applications.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson also ordered Jennie Javonillo, 72, to pay a $5,000 fine and a special assessment of $100. The judge previously ordered her to forfeit $58,000 to the government as part of a plea deal.

Javonillo pleaded guilty Jan. 25 to one count of honest services wire fraud in exchange for the government dropping two identical charges.

She is one of five current and former Department of Planning and Permitting employees accused of accepting thousands of dollars in cash, gifts and valuable items from architects, contractors, draftsmen, engineers and others.

Javonillo was indicted March 17, 2021, for soliciting and taking bribes from 2009 to 2018 in exchange for expediting the approval process for projects ahead of other applications submitted earlier. She laundered the cash bribes by using the money to pay down store credit cards, used a personal cellphone to communicate with those who bribed her and met them outside her workplace, the indictment said.

She pleaded guilty to a charge related to a permit application for a North Judd Street residence, emailing the architect in 2017 with the message: “Probably can approve tomorrow am.”

Javonillo was allowed to remain free on an unsecured $50,000 bond before she must surrender Aug. 8 to a facility designated by the federal Bureau of Prisons. Judicial recommendations include the Honolulu Federal Detention Center or a West Coast facility.

Wayne Inouye, a former DPP building plans examiner, is alleged to have accepted and solicited nearly $100,000 in cash payments and gifts between 2012 and 2017 from architects, contractors and third-party reviewers. He retired before he was indicted. His trial is set for Aug. 29.

Jocelyn Godoy, the only target of the investigation who remains a city employee, is on paid leave pending the investigation, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for the city. She was working in the DPP’s data access and imaging branch when she allegedly solicited and took bribes from an architect and third-party reviewer, according to court records. Her trial also is set for Aug. 29.

Jason Dadez, a former DPP building inspector, pleaded guilty Feb. 14 to a charge that involved accepting a $1,000 check from owners of a Waipahu restaurant and corresponding with an architect about an Ala Wai Boulevard residence.

Kanani Padeken, a former DPP building plans examiner, pleaded guilty in April 2021 to charges of wire fraud and admitted taking at least $28,000 in bribes. She was fired after pleading guilty.

Architect William Wong, accused of participating in the pay-to-play scheme, also pleaded guilty and admitted to paying $89,000 in bribes to DPP employees.