LIHU‘E — Calling his story “unbelievable,” 5th Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano last week sentenced Ronald Frances Luna to 10 years in prison, with a 40-month mandatory minimum, on burglary and indecent exposure charges. Both John Calma, Luna’s state deputy public
LIHU‘E — Calling his story “unbelievable,” 5th Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano last week sentenced Ronald Frances Luna to 10 years in prison, with a 40-month mandatory minimum, on burglary and indecent exposure charges.
Both John Calma, Luna’s state deputy public defender, and Luna, 29, of Kekaha, said Luna entered a Puhi home under the impression it was a friend of Luna’s home, someone he said gave him permission to go there and shower while preparing for a party later that night.
But it wasn’t the friend’s home. He came out of the shower looking for a towel and surprised the occupants of the home, fled, then tried to gain entry into another home before police arrested him.
“I got scared too. I never know it was the wrong house,” Luna said.
“Mr. Luna has a drug problem. He was high that night,” said Calma, who argued for a one-year mandatory sentence for Luna. “He had no intent to terrorize.”
Calma said Luna committed two hotel burglaries in 1999 in support of his drug habit, and was rejected for referral to Kaua‘i Drug Court on the count of him being too needy to be accepted into the program.
Incarcerated at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center since March of this year, Luna is articulate, has skills, and has been thinking about relocating to Pennsylvania, where he has family, Calma said.
He also hears voices sometimes, and is on medication to prevent that, said Calma.
“I know I’ve made some mistakes,” said Luna, charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree attempted burglary and indecent exposure. “I do have a drug problem.”
He said he is in a program at KCCC to try to change his life, and said he wants to enter a drug-treatment program to help him overcome his addiction.
“I do want to change. This kind of life is getting too old for me,” said Luna, who added that he received his high-school-diploma equivalency while at KCCC and wants to start a new life for himself.
Valenciano said Luna’s prior burglary offenses make his Puhi story tough to swallow, and it is fortunate no one was injured and no other crimes were committed during the incident.
“You deserve the maximum sentence,” Valenciano said.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
