Puna man gets 15-year prison term

A 36-year-old Puna man was sentenced to concurrent prison terms in Hilo Circuit Court for Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle in the First Degree as well as a number of other property and drug offenses on Tuesday.

At the time of the commission of the Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle in the First Degree offense, Albert Kumia Jr. was on probation for felony property and drug crimes, County of Hawai‘i Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said in a written statement.

Kumia entered a “guilty” plea to the offense of Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle on Sept. 7, 2022, in relation to a Honda CRV that was originally reported stolen on May 7, 2022 from HPM Building Supply’s parking lot in Hilo.

The investigation was handled by the Hawai‘i Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit, Area I Criminal Investigation Section. The cases were prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elyssa Correia Keltner.

“Our office believed that a 15-year prison term was justified based on the facts and
circumstances of this case,” said Waltjen. “We will continue to seek appropriate sentences for felony property offenders and those who repeatedly victimize our community.”