The last of the seven defendants accused of aiding Justin Waiki following the fatal shooting of Hawaii Police Department Officer Bronson Kaliloa in July 2018 recently reached a plea agreement with the state.
Taumi Carr pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree hindering prosecution, a class C felony, on Dec. 22. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped a second charge of hindering prosecution.
Jamie Jason, Malia Lajala, Jorge Pagan-Torres, Krystle Ferreira, Kiel Brende and Mokihana Veincent have all been sentenced for their rolls for aiding and abetting Waiki. Carr is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8 and faces up to five years imprisonment.
Jason was one of four people, including Lajala and Pagan-Torres, inside a Toyota 4-Runner along with Waiki when police stopped the SUV at a checkpoint on South Point Road on July 20, 2018, three days after police said Waiki shot and killed Kaliloa on the side of Highway 11 in Mountain View.
During a search of the vehicle, Jason was found in the vehicle’s cargo hold with Waiki. The 33-year-old man was killed in an exchange of bullets with officers, during which a Special Response Team officer suffered nonfatal gunshot wounds. Jason also suffered a gunshot wound to her thigh.
In a deal with prosecutors, Jason entered guilty pleas to first-degree hindering prosecution, second-degree assault of a law enforcement officer and accomplice to ownership or possession of firearm when prohibited in connection with the incident. She was sentenced in June to six years incarceration.
In fall 2019, a jury found Lajala guilty of first-degree hindering prosecution and a lesser offense of second-degree attempted assault of a law enforcement officer. She was sentenced in January to six years incarceration, with credit for time served.
Ferreira and Pagan-Torres were found guilty of the lesser offense of second-degree reckless endangering. Each was sentenced to one year incarceration, with credit for time served.
Brende and Veincent pleaded out to first-degree hindering prosecution and were sentenced to five years behind bars.