Gary Baldwin won’t fight extradition to Arizona where he faces felony theft and fraud charges dating back over 15 years. His decision was read Thursday afternoon in a state courtroom in Honolulu by his Maui-based attorney Philip Lowenthal. The only
Gary Baldwin won’t fight extradition to Arizona where he faces felony theft and fraud charges dating back over 15 years.
His decision was read Thursday afternoon in a state courtroom in Honolulu by his Maui-based attorney Philip Lowenthal.
The only words Baldwin uttered at the hearing in the First Circuit Court of Judge Reynaldo Graulty were affirmative answers to questions about being on medication, and being of sound mind, said Jim Fulton, spokesman for the Honolulu prosecutors’ office handling the state’s case.
After the court session, Hawai’i deputy prosecutor Russell Uehara confirmed that Baldwin had altered his social security number and altered his date of birth while living on Kaua’i, “though he did not alter his name.”
In Baldwin’s defense, Lowenthal told the court that his client didn’t know of the charges filed against him in Arizona. Because of that Baldwin wouldn’t have needed to alter his identity, the attorney said.
Baldwin is a former Kaua’i planning commissioner and member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Kaua’i Economic Development Board head.
His attorney told the court that setting bail at $274,000 seemed excessive, too, since only property crimes were committed.
Graulty didn’t budge, though, setting bail at $274,000 as recommended by Arizona officials. Prosecutors argued that since Baldwin had allegedly left one state to avoid prosecution, he may be a flight risk in Hawai’i, also, Fulton said.
Lowenthal couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.
Baldwin, 55, is now in the custody of the state Department of Public Safety, at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in Halawa.
On Kaua’i, efforts are underway to raise Baldwin’s bail money, and over 50 letters of support have been penned for Baldwin’s cause, said Baldwin’s friend Gregg Gardiner, publisher of 101 Things to Do on Kauai magazine.
Graulty stipulated that if bail is raised and Baldwin is released he may not leave O’ahu, and must on a daily basis contact Honolulu Police Department detective Bentley Alama.
On Wednesday Alama signed a complaint against Baldwin based on information provided by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and other official sources.
Baldwin “is a fugitive from justice,” Alama’s statement and affidavit states.
Baldwin yesterday exercised his right for a governor’s warrant to be issued, allowing the beginning of a paperwork trail that will need Arizona Gov. Jane Dee Hull to sign the extradition warrant, which should happen within the next 30 days, Fulton said.
Once that paperwork travels from Arizona to Hawai’i, it requires the signature of Gov. Ben Cayetano, with the state attorney general’s office handling the details, Fulton said. When the paperwork and Maricopa County sheriffs arrive to escort Baldwin, he will be flown to Arizona, where court proceedings will be scheduled.
Remaining outstanding against Baldwin is a federal warrant by which he was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents on Monday morning at his Waipake home south of Kilauea. That arrest was for alleged unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, a federal offense.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
