The pleas leave only accused racketeering boss Mike Miske and three other defendants as part of the case.
Plea agreements with two of the remaining defendants in the case of former Honolulu business owner and accused racketeering boss Michael J. Miske Jr. were wrapped up by federal prosecutors last week and filed in federal court.
Dae Han Moon, 27, and Jarrin Young, 29, appeared in change-of-plea hearings on Thursday, where they stood before federal Judge Derrick Watson to plead guilty.
They became the eighth and ninth of Miske鈥檚 original 12 co-defendants to plead guilty.
Their plea agreements were different in one key respect from those of the previous seven defendants to plead out.
Unlike each of those prior deals, these latest plea agreements do not require the defendants to cooperate with prosecutors, divulge everything they know and testify against their former associates. This had been standard provisions of the seven previous plea agreements.
A story published in advance of Moon鈥檚 court appearance incorrectly anticipated that his guilty plea would also include cooperation. A review of the written plea agreements by Moon and Young, filed in federal court this week, show the cooperation requirement was not included.
Moon and Young each received a rollback in the number and seriousness of charges they faced. The government benefits because prosecutors do not have to continue trial preparations in their cases, and can instead concentrate on the remaining defendants.
Court records do not indicate why the cooperation requirement was dropped for Moon and Young. However, their names were not included on a list of potential trial witnesses previously filed in court, likely meaning prosecutors do not believe their testimony will be necessary.
Special Report
In Moon鈥檚 case, prosecutors agreed not to seek a combined sentence of more than 15 years, and took no position as to whether the sentence will be served concurrently with Moon鈥檚 prior murder sentence in state court, or be stacked on top, and begin only after the state sentence has been served.
The agreement acknowledges Watson will make the final decision on Moon鈥檚 sentence based on assessments and sentencing recommendations by federal pretrial services staff.
Young pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but apparently avoided a possible 10-year minimum sentence called for by one of the charges in his original indictment.
Both men are now scheduled to be sentenced in February.
Only Miske and John Stancil, his half brother; Delia Fabro Miske, who was married to Miske鈥檚 late son, Caleb; and Jason Yokoyama, Miske鈥檚 former business partner, remain as defendants.
Information on three of Miske鈥檚 former co-defendants who are now cooperating with prosecutors, and are expected to be witnesses in the upcoming trial, no longer appears in the online inmate locator maintained by the federal Bureau of Prisons. They have apparently been moved to undisclosed facilities on the mainland due to 鈥渟ecurity concerns.鈥
Honolulu has only one federal detention center, where Miske and other defendants, as well as others expected to be witnesses against them, are all being held, although in different units. Their proximity is believed to have created physical risks for those now cooperating with the government, according to comments made during prior court hearings.
Those currently being held in unknown locations are Lance Bermudez and Harry Kauhi, who were among Miske鈥檚 close associates and co-defendants, along with Wayne Miller, a longtime friend and associate who ran Miske鈥檚 drug operation for a period of time. Miller was charged separately from the Miske case, but is expected to be an important trial witness.
Trial in the case is scheduled to begin in January, and screening of potential jurors is currently underway.
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About the Author
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Ian Lind is an award-winning investigative reporter and columnist who has been blogging daily for more than 20 years. He has also worked as a newsletter publisher, public interest advocate and lobbyist for Common Cause in 贬补飞补颈驶颈, peace educator, and legislative staffer. Lind is a lifelong resident of the islands. Opinions are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Civil Beat's views.