HILO — A 52-year-old Honokaa man who apparently staged his own disappearance while the subject of a police wanted bulletin was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison. ADVERTISING HILO — A 52-year-old Honokaa man who apparently staged his own
HILO — A 52-year-old Honokaa man who apparently staged his own disappearance while the subject of a police wanted bulletin was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.
Acting Hilo Circuit Judge Harry Freitas handed down the sentence to Derek Fa Sin Liu as part of a plea deal. Liu pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to burglary, bail jumping, promoting a dangerous drug and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
Liu will have to serve a minimum of one year, with credit for time served, before he can be considered for parole.
Deputy Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen told the judge that Liu has “an extensive criminal history dating back” to the mid-1980s and Liu’s probation officer hadn’t seen him “in years.”
“As the court’s aware, defendant failed to appear for proceedings back on Dec. 5, 2016,” Waltjen said, “The day prior … the defendant became the subject of a missing persons investigation which resulted in deployment of a search team, which included 17 fire units, both county helicopters and a Coast Guard helicopter and cutter. The defendant was … arrested about two weeks later.”
The search was mounted after Liu’s unoccupied 12-foot Zodiac-type inflatable boat was found in the ocean about a mile offshore from Kohala Estates. Liu’s truck and trailer were found at the Kawaihae boat ramp.
Police issued a wanted bulletin for Liu two days prior to the start of the search, and Waltjen called the mission costly “for the community and taxpayers.”
