LIHU‘E — A Hanama‘ulu man changed his plea in three cases involving driving violations and credit card fraud on Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court. Pohaku Lee Mitsuo Matsuura, 35, appeared in custody from Kaua‘i County Correctional Center. He has been
LIHU‘E — A Hanama‘ulu man changed his plea in three cases involving driving violations and credit card fraud on Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court.
Pohaku Lee Mitsuo Matsuura, 35, appeared in custody from Kaua‘i County Correctional Center. He has been held there since his last arrest on Sept. 13, 2011.
Matsuura pleaded guilty to felony charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, two counts of credit card theft, two counts of credit card fraud, two counts of second-degree forgery, attempted second-degree theft, second-degree burglary, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information; and two misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and second-degree assault against a law enforcement officer.
Matsuura pleaded no contest to petty misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and no motor vehicle insurance in one case, and to a misdemeanor charge of driving without a license in a third.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe scheduled the sentencing hearing for March 27. Matsuura could be given an extended sentence of 20 years for the B-felony burglary charge, and a 10-year sentence for 20 C-felony charges.
The resisting arrest and assault on a police officer charges are misdemeanors that carry a possible one-year sentence. The remainder of the 227 charges in all cases were dismissed in the plea agreement.
State Deputy Public Defender Dena Renti Cruz represented Matsuura.
County Second Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Vogt represented the state.
