Three Men Charged With Goat Theft, Guns, Drugs

L–R: Ross Pacheco, Cody James Tony Pacheco-Dela Cruz, Jason Fiesta. HPD photos.

Hawai‘i Island police have charged three men in connection with a livestock theft investigation.

The theft was reported on Friday morning, March 17,  in the Pauka‘a area of South Hilo after the theft victim saw a suspicious truck in the area.

That morning, a 38-year-old Hilo man reported someone had broken into the fenced area in Pauka‘a where his goats were kept and removed seven of them. A few hours later, just after 11 a.m., the victim saw the same truck in the Kaiwiki area with goats in its bed. He proceeded to stop the vehicle and confronted the driver and his two passengers. At that time, the victim recognized several distinguishing characteristics of the goats so he called police.

The three suspects remained at the scene and were taken into custody upon the officers’ arrival and their interview of the victim.

On Saturday, March 18,  at 8 p.m., Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division charged the trio with the following offenses:

• 47-year-old Ross Pacheco of Pāpaʻikou was charged with theft of livestock, third-degree theft, fourth-degree theft, third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia, three counts of ownership of a firearm prohibited, possessing a firearm on a highway and having a loaded firearm on a highway. His bail has been set at $157,000.
• 29-year-old Cody James Tony Pacheco-Delacruz of Paʻauilo was charged with theft of livestock, third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia and being in possession of a loaded firearm on a highway. His bail was set at $11,000.
• 37-year-old Jason Fiesta—no permanent address—was charged with theft of livestock, third-degree promoting a dangerous drug and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $6,000.

All three suspects were unable to post bail and were held at the Hilo cellblock pending their initial appearance in South Hilo District Court on Monday, March 20.

Police advise members of the public against confronting suspects of crimes committed against them as such confrontations are unpredictable and each has the potential to turn extremely dangerous without warning.