A 24-year-old Hilo man will be sent back to Florida to face charges he skipped out on probation for armed robbery and grand theft. ADVERTISING A 24-year-old Hilo man will be sent back to Florida to face charges he skipped
A 24-year-old Hilo man will be sent back to Florida to face charges he skipped out on probation for armed robbery and grand theft.
Justin Harlin Pearce was arrested Monday at a home on Hana Street in Kaumana City, according to a police log. He waived his right to an extradition hearing Tuesday afternoon before 3rd Circuit Judge Glenn Hara.
The judge set a review hearing for 1 p.m. Oct. 28 in case Florida authorities don’t pick up Pearce before then, and Pearce signed an extradition form in open court.
He is being held without bail at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
According to court documents, police responded to a report of a possible domestic dispute at the Kaumana City home on Sept. 16. A man who identified himself as Pearce’s foster father told responding officers Pearce was on probation in Florida and there was a warrant for his arrest there.
Police confirmed Pearce was wanted by authorities in Flagler County, Fla., through the National Crime Information Center database.
Prosecutors then contacted Florida state’s attorney, who said that office would extradite Pearce, documents state.
Florida documents state Pearce committed an armed robbery on Jan. 10, 2008, and was sentenced to five years in prison and 10 years probation on May 7, 2012. He had been detained almost 25 months before conviction, and was released from prison on Aug. 1, 2013, after serving about 15 additional months.
Pearce failed to report to his probation officer on July 14, according to documents, and his former housemate told probation officials Pearce left his last known residence in Jacksonville, Fla., on about May 29.
Documents state Pearce told police he returned to Hawaii after learning his mother was ill.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
