HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
EAST HAWAII CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
DETECTIVE LUCILLE MELEMAI
PHONE: 961-2377
SEPTEMBER 3, 2004
I-02660

MEDIA RELEASE

A 22-year-old man arrested and charged with robbing a grocery store in Honomu, South Hilo, on August 21, 2004, will be turned over to U.S. authorities for federal prosecution.

The suspect, identified as Kyle Yasushi Masaoka, of a Honomu address, will face federal prosecution for a charge of attempted robbery.

Masaoka had been previously charged by county prosecutors with second-degree robbery and was being held in the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $35,000 bail. East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives said the county charges will be dripped, and Masaoka will be turned over to the agents of the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for federal prosecution.

Masaoka allegedly entered Jan’s Store with a shirt covering the lower part of his face, pointed a gun at the clerk and ordered her to open the cash register. When she refused, the suspect tried to open the cash register, but fled when he couldn’t get it open.

The clerk later identified the suspect by his voice and a tattoo on his left hand.

East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives arrested Masaoka at his home. They later determined that a toy gun was used in the robbery.

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