Attorney for Mitsunaga & Associates arrested by federal agents in California

• By Peter Boylan
• Sept. 13, 2022
• 19

Sheri Jean Tanaka, who represents Mitsunaga & Associates or MAI, was named in a first superseding indictment unsealed this morning in federal court. Read more

Big Island pain doctor gets 7-1/2 years in federal prison

• By Peter Boylan
• Sept. 13, 2022
• 50

A federal judge sentenced a Hawaii island pain doctor to 7-1/2 years in prison Monday after he was found guilty in April of pushing more than 7,000 oxycodone pills into the Hawaii island and Oahu communities from about 2013 through 2017. Read more

Retired National Guard Maj. Gen. Arthur ‘Joe’ Logan chosen as Honolulu’s next police chief

• By Star-Advertiser staff
• May 23, 2022
• 43

Logan, a 20-year HPD veteran before joining the military, is the grandson of a New York City police officer and two of his brothers served in the department. Read more

Dr. Rudolph B. Puana, brother of Katherine Kealoha, found guilty of distributing oxycodone and fentanyl

• By Peter Boylan
• April 20, 2022
• 68

Puana was found guilty on 38 counts of distributing and dispensing oxycodone and a one count of distributing and dispensing fentanyl. Read more

Police arrest teen for allegedly beating family member to death in Makaha

• By Peter Boylan
• April 20, 2022
• 44

The 38-year-old woman was a family member of Joshua N. McPeek, who was arrested early Wednesday. Read more

Testimony in drug trial for Katherine Kealoha’s brother focuses on bogus prescriptions

• By Peter Boylan
• April 2, 2022
• 19

Former Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha designated her brother’s childhood friend Christopher McKinney as a confidential informant to conceal ties both men had to an alleged drug dealer and a police officer targeted for prosecution, according to testimony Friday in U.S. District Court. Read more

Katherine Kealoha to be a witness in case targeting her brother

• By Peter Boylan
• April 1, 2022
• 51

The now-imprisoned Katherine Kealoha pleaded guilty to using her job to shield her brother from an investigation and accepting prescriptions that she traded for cocaine. Read more

Honolulu ex-prosecutor’s brother pleads guilty to one charge before drug trial

• By Associated Press
• March 29, 2022
• 30

Rudolph Puana’s drug-dealing trial on 53 other counts began today with jury selection. Read more

Former Honolulu corporation counsel Donna Leong did not lie to the FBI, attorney says

• By Peter Boylan
• March 23, 2022
• 58

Donna Leong, the city’s corporation counsel from 2013 t0 2019, did not lie to FBI agents about who she talked to and how the Kealoha settlement was assembled, her attorney affirmed this afternoon. Read more

Federal judge issues protective order for evidence in Kealoha retirement settlement case

• By Peter Boylan
• Feb. 7, 2022
• 17

A federal judge granted a protective order sought by the U.S. Department of Justice to prevent the public release of evidence gathered by investigators probing a $250,000 retirement settlement to former police Chief Louis Kealoha. Read more

Health, willingness of key witness at issue in Honolulu corruption case

• By Peter Boylan
• Feb. 5, 2022
• 34

Nelson Koyanagi, former director of the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, has knowledge that the 2017 Kealoha settlement did not require City Council review and approval and was structured similar to settlements with other city department heads, defense attorneys declared. Read more

Attorneys for former Honolulu officials seek documents in Kealoha corruption case

• By Peter Boylan
• Jan. 29, 2022
• 1

Attorneys representing two former top city officials — both accused of violating federal law by orchestrating the $250,000 retirement settlement for former Police Chief Louis Kealoha — are attempting to introduce evidence they believe exonerates their clients. Read more

David Shapiro: How did handcuffs become Honolulu’s new jewelry craze?

• By David Shapiro, Special to the Star-Advertiser
• Jan. 16, 2022
• 49

Video of former city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong being handcuffed and perp-walked into FBI offices to be served a federal conspiracy indictment epitomized a sorry period of city governance. Read more

On Politics: Kealoha investigation snares three former top Honolulu officials, but will it end there?

• By Richard Borreca Special to the Star-Advertiser
• Jan. 16, 2022
• 22

Two of former Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s closest cabinet members — former managing director Roy Amemiya and former Corporation Counsel Donna Leong — and well-known lobbyist Max Sword, the former Honolulu Police Commission chairman, all had 6:30 a.m. meetings with the FBI last week to be arrested. Read more

3 former top Honolulu city officials turn themselves in to FBI as part of Kealoha probe

• Jan. 12, 2022

3 former top Honolulu city officials turn themselves in to FBI as part of Kealoha probe

• By Peter Boylan
• Jan. 12, 2022
• 398

Former city managing director Roy Amemiya, former Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword are in the custody of federal agents today. Read more

No opioid epidemic talk at Honolulu ex-prosecutor’s brother’s trial

• By Associated Press
• Nov. 17, 2021
• 27

Dr. Rudolph Puana is scheduled to go to trial in March for drug-dealing allegations. Read more

Drug trial delayed again for ex-Hawaii prosecutor Katherine Kealoha’s brother

• By Associated Press
• Oct. 8, 2021
• 1

Attorneys said during a hearing on Thursday they agreed to postpone the trial of Dr. Rudolph Puana from December to March. Read more