Hawaii Island police on Tuesday announced the arrest of 24-year-old Jenson Faustino-Keakaoka Castillas who was charged with burglary and an array of other offenses after breaking in to a private school in Pahoa.
On the afternoon of Monday, July 26, after conferring with the County Prosecutors Office, police charged Castillas with burglary during an emergency period, second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, first-degree criminal property damage, first-degree criminal trespass, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, drug paraphernalia, ownership/possession prohibited (ammunition), and as a habitual property crime offender. His total bail was set at $146,000.
The charges stem from an incident on Saturday, July 24, shortly before 11 a.m., when Puna patrol officers responded to a suspicious vehicle call at a church on Pahoa Village Road in Pahoa. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle and observed numerous battery-powered tools, a generator, spray paint cans, and other miscellaneous items within.
Around this same time, police dispatch received a report of a burglary at a private school in Pahoa, in which it was reported that tools had been stolen. Due to the close proximately of the vehicle at the church and the school, officers requested school faculty member’s respond to assist in identifying the items within the vehicle; the tools appeared to be stolen from the school.
The suspect of the burglary was captured on video surveillance, which officers were able to view.
At short time later, officers observed a male walking on Pahoa Village Road who matched the description of the suspect captured on video surveillance. Officers contacted this individual and confirmed his identity as Castillas. He spontaneously stated to officers that he was looking for his vehicle; a vehicle which matched the description of the vehicle at the church. Castillas was arrested and transported to the Pahoa Police Station. Upon conducting a search incident to arrest, he was found to have approximately 11.8 grams of methamphetamine and 2.4 grams of marijuana on his person.
The vehicle was recovered and detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section obtained a search warrant. Upon execution of the warrant, detectives confirmed the identity of the stolen items. They also recovered live ammunition, which Castillas is prohibited from possessing.
Castillas remained in police custody pending his initial court appearance.
Police want to remind the public that in light of Governor David Ige’s current COVID-19 emergency proclamation, there are enhanced penalties for certain offenses including, but not limited to, burglary, theft, criminal property damage, and robbery.
