Lihu’e man charged with 21 counts of theft has sentence delayed

LIHU’E — A pre-sentence investigation report has been ordered for a Lihu‘e man charged with 21 criminal charges related to credit-card theft in 2018.

Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Randal Valenciano made the order in court Thursday, citing the continuance for Sholan Ogata because the state is still trying to contact all the victims to determine the restitution to be decided on in the case.

Valenciano didn’t specify the total number of victims involved.

Ogata, 24, has charges dating back to Nov. 23, 2018, when he allegedly stole a credit card from a person.

During the incident, Ogata attempted to steal the person’s identity, purchase goods and services with the credit card, and attempted to obtain additional personal information from the victim of the theft, which turned into 15 separate charges.

The charges included two counts of theft of a credit card, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information, six counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, three counts of theft in the fourth degree, and three counts of theft in the third degree.

Ogata also faces additional felony charges of unauthorized possession of confidential information, credit-card theft, theft in the second degree, promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree and having ammunition in an improper place.

In August of 2019, Ogata was inducted into drug court, and remained compliant with the court’s terms and conditions until June of 2020, when Ogata missed two late curfew calls. On Aug. 10, 2020, he admitted to using methamphetamine.

Ogata, who made progress in drug court, eventually admitted to the court of relapsing in June of 2020. Ogata was found by the court as non-compliant and then was ordered to an aftercare program.

According to court documents, his probation officer, Ikaika Macabeo, informed the court that Ogata fled from The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services program on Aug. 16 and received a non-clinical discharge.

Ogata’s whereabouts became unknown, and the court ordered a $50,000 cash-only bench warrant.

After Ogata was taken into custody in early September, the court ordered a 91-day jail sentence sanction, which he is still serving.

The court will continue with sentencing at 8 a.m. on March 18, 2021.

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Jason Blasco, reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.