LIHUE — A Kauai man was sentenced to two prison terms totaling 15 years for six separate cases of vandalism.
Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe called 37-year-old Kyle Masato Matsumoto a “one-man crime wave” in court Wednesday.
Prosecutors say Matsumoto broke into cars in 2012 stealing a camera and accessories worth $4,000 and depriving a victim of his livelihood. They also say he stole tourists’ luggage worth $8,000 and used stolen credit cards to buy nearly $6,000 in goods.
Defense lawyers asked if Matsumoto could partake in a drug treatment program but the state says he already tried that and didn’t deserve the opportunity.
Watanabe says Matsumoto’s actions hurt the visitor industry and residents and were a “huge black eye for Kauai.”