3 Kona Residents Face Charges of Theft, Credit Card Fraud

Three Kona residents are in police custody facing charges related to credit card fraud.

The investigation was initiated on Monday, Nov. 8, when a 27-year-old visitor contacted Hawai‘i Police Department to report that her personal bag had been stolen within the past couple of days. The victim noticed that a fraudulent transaction using her credit card, which was inside of her stolen bag, had taken place at a store in Kona.

According to an HPD press release, police responded to the store where the card had been used to view video surveillance. While there, they saw two people come onto the property. Forty-year-old Frank Hesia Jr. of Kailua-Kona, was wearing the same clothing as the male suspect in the video that used the victim’s credit card to make a fraudulent purchase. Hesia Jr. was in the company of 43-yeard-old Sabrina Chu, also of Kailua-Kona, who was reportedly in possession of the victim’s stolen bag.

Hesia Jr. and Chu were arrested on site. During the course of the investigation, police determined that the victim’s credit card was fraudulently used at four additional establishments in Kona. A third suspect, 50-year-old Joseph Fournier, of Kailua-Kona, also used the victim’s stolen credit card to make a purchase in an amount exceeding $300. Fournier was arrested on Tuesday, Nov. 9.

The victim’s bag, with all contents accounted for, was returned to her.

Chu was charged with fourth-degree theft and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. Her bail was set at $2,250.

Fournier was charged for fraudulent use of a credit card, third-degree theft, third-degree identity theft and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. His bail was set at $6,500.

Hesia Jr. was charged with third-degree theft/forgery of a card, forgery, habitual property crime, and four counts each of fraudulent use of a credit card, fourth-degree theft, third-degree identity theft and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. His bail was set at $109,000.

All three appeared in Kona District Court on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Fournier was granted supervised release and ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 6.

Hesia Jr. and Chu remain in custody with preliminary hearings scheduled for Nov. 12.