4 Kailua-Kona Residents Charged With Forgery

Hawaiʻi Police detectives worked with the U.S. Secret Service and the Sheriff’s Department to apprehend four individuals wanted on multiple counts of forgery.

According to a press release from HPD Friday, Nov. 12, two men and two women, all from Kailua-Kona, are responsible for the creation and dissemination of fraudulent business checks throughout the Kailua-Kona area, dating back to February of this year, resulting in the theft of U.S. currency from various businesses and banks.

The two women, 42-year-old Lealofitaute Soares and 25-year-old Bailey Kurashige, and one of the men, 30-year-old Chandler Palakiko, were arrested and charged on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. The second man, 26-year-old Lane Miyake-Kamahele, was arrested and charged on Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Kurashige, Soares and Palakiko were each charged with one count of first-degree forgery and one count of criminal conspiracy. Each of them had bail set at $17,000.

Miyake-Kamahele was charged with one count of first-degree forgery and one count of criminal conspiracy. His bail was also set at $17,000.

Soares, Palakiko and Kurashige appeared in Kona District Court for an initial appearance on Wednesday and were all granted supervised release over the stateʻs objection. Soares and Palakiko are required to appear for a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 29.

Kurashige is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 6.

Miyake-Kamahele appeared in court for his initial appearance on Friday, Nov. 12. He was also granted supervised release over the stateʻs objection and is slated to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 6.

Anyone who may have additional information on the incidents is asked to contact Detective Tyler Prokopec of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at 808-326-4646 ext. 224 or send an email at tyler.prokopec@hawaiicounty.gov.