LIHU‘E — A Princeville man will follow through on his own restitution plan in the theft of medical marijuana plants. Jade Robert Candelaria, 31, of Princeville, was arrested on May 27, 2011, for second-degree burglary and second-degree theft. He was
LIHU‘E — A Princeville man will follow through on his own restitution plan in the theft of medical marijuana plants.
Jade Robert Candelaria, 31, of Princeville, was arrested on May 27, 2011, for second-degree burglary and second-degree theft. He was sentenced in 5th Circuit Court Wednesday to five years’ probation for theft. The other charge was dropped.
Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe presented Candelaria with an offer he couldn’t refuse by suspending a six-month jail sentence for the duration of his probation. If compliant throughout, then Watanabe said Candelaria would not see any jail time.
Probation will also include 300 hours of community service. Watanabe said the court was going along with the defendant’s own restitution plan.
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Vogt said the restitution amount of $3,150 was calculated by determining the average value of the stolen plants and adding that to the cost of other damages. According to Vogt, the plants were being grown for three clients with medical marijuana permits.
Attorney Dan Hempey was in court on another matter, and was asked to speak on behalf of the victim he represents. He said that restitution instead of incarceration is appropriate in addressing the hardship presented to the clients.
Deputy Public Defender Stephanie Sato said Candelaria had already registered and partially completed a court-approved substance abuse program prior to any recommendation from his attorney or the court.
Sato said Candelaria’s addiction began with opiate-based pain medication he took following an injury sustained in an automobile accident. She said he turned to marijuana to move away from the opiates which led to the break-in to steal the medical marijuana plants.
Candelaria is married with four children and now works as a chef, according to Sato. He chooses to live with the pain rather than take more medications, she added.
Watanabe said it was a difficult balancing act to ensure that justice was served in this case.
She said Candelaria needed to be held accountable for the crime, but that she also did not want to discourage the example he set by immediately admitting his wrong and taking proactive steps to conquer his addiction and make restitution to the victim.
• Tom LaVenture can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@ thegardenisland.com.
