A 32-Year-old Waimea man has been charged following an identity theft investigation.
Hawaii Island Police arrested Charles Franklin Pericho on Aug. 9 after he tried to cash a stolen check at a local check cashing establishment in Hilo. Pericho had a check that had been stolen in a reported burglary in Kona. Posing as someone else, Pericho had identification for another person that he tried to use in cashing the $500 check.
In examining the identification and check, the manager for the establishment was suspicious and called the police to report the incident.
Police arrived and arrested Pericho and recovered the check and other documents he had illegally. He was later charged with two counts of theft, one count each of identity theft, unauthorized possession of personal confidential information, and forgery and is being held in lieu of $6,750 bail pending a court appearance.
Hawaii Island Police also arrested and charged a 32-year-old Hilo man with an array of firearms and drug offenses stemming from an investigation concerning stolen vehicles.
Police were canvassing an area in Pepeekeo known as a location for suspect’s to dump stolen vehicles. While making checks in the area police came across a truck with a man sitting in the driver seat and the truck had no front plate.
Police approached the man and found a rifle in the truck along with various amounts of ammunition. The man, identified as Matthew Haraguchi, of Hilo, was arrested and the truck recovered.
Police applied for a search warrant and recovered two rifles from the truck, numerous amounts of ammunition for the two rifles, drugs, drug paraphernalia, currency and items of evidence related to drug distribution.
Haraguchi was charged Thursday with several firearms crimes and violations, possession of drugs and related drug paraphernalia, and police seized $281 in currency as proceeds from drug distribution. He is being held in lieu of $187,000 bail pending a court appearance on Monday in Hilo District Court.