Puulei sentenced to no addtional time

LIHU‘E — A Kilauea man who was sentenced to five-year prison terms last month was not given any extra jail time for assault Thursday in Fifth Circuit Court.

Randy William Puulei, 39, was sentenced on the final two cases of his global plea deal involving five cases in all.

Judge Kathleen Watanabe sentenced Puulei to a concurrent five-year prison term for the second-degree assault charge. She said the defendant must serve a one-year and eight-month minimum term before he is eligible for parole.

The concurrent sentence means that the jail time will run at the same time as the one he is currently serving.

State Deputy Public Defender Stephanie Sato said the defendant’s record can’t be disputed, but that he has taken responsibility by changing his plea to no contest. She asked for the sentences to run concurrently.

County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Shauna Lee Cahill asked Judge Watanabe to sentence according to the plea agreement. She said Puulei has taken responsibility but a record of three felony and seven misdemeanor convictions since 1992 cannot be ignored.

Watanabe said Puulei is a young man and recommended that he do good time and reflect on his crimes and to deal with the consequences. The judge said she hoped that the defendant would not be seen before this or any another court again in the future.

In December, Chief Judge Randal Valenciano sentenced Puulei to five years in prison on two felony charges of abuse of family or household member and unauthorized entry into a dwelling. He received a concurrent five-year sentence for violating probation on a first-degree terroristic threat and third-degree assault charge.

Valenciano also sentenced Puulei to one-year concurrent sentences on misdemeanor charges of criminal contempt of court and violating a protective order.

• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.