LIHU‘E — Facing the potential of a five-year prison term, Dennis Louis Rego Jr., 45, of Koloa, pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree theft. The case involves a packet Rego took from a checkout counter of the Koloa Big Save containing
LIHU‘E — Facing the potential of a five-year prison term, Dennis Louis Rego Jr., 45, of Koloa, pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree theft.
The case involves a packet Rego took from a checkout counter of the Koloa Big Save containing cash and credit cards left by the customer in front of him. The incident was caught on a store surveillance camera.
Young said Tuesday that Rego made no attempt to try to return the packet to Webster.
In a plea agreement between Christopher Young, state deputy attorney general, and Mark Zenger, Rego’s attorney, the recommendation to the judge is that Rego serve no jail time, be placed on probation for five years, and make restitution in the amount of around $3,300 to Christopher Webster of Kalaheo, the man who left the packet behind at the store.
The plea agreement also calls for Rego to perform 150 hours of community service, write a letter of apology to Webster, pay court costs, and not be charged with possession of confidential information, in this case a credit card and driver’s license.
Second-degree theft is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Fifth Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano set sentencing for 8 a.m. Jan. 13. The judge does not have to abide by terms of the plea agreement.
The relatively minor crime became more newsworthy when Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho initially did not have her office opt out of the case due to a conflict of interest, as Rego and Iseri-Carvalho were boyfriend-girlfriend for about a decade when she was in school.
Iseri-Carvalho said earlier that she contacted the state Department of the Attorney General immediately upon the case coming to her office, and Young said he didn’t see a conflict because the relationship took place over 20 years ago.
Lauren McDowell, deputy prosecuting attorney, was handling the case, with no involvement or input from Iseri-Carvalho, said Iseri-Carvalho.
Not wishing to jeopardize the prosecution, Iseri-Carvalho said she opted to present it to the AG’s office, and Young agreed to take the case.
