Puna man sentenced to 10 years in prison for car theft, possession of loaded gun, and methamphetamines

A 51-year-old man from Puna was sentenced to a 10-year prison term after he reportedly fled from the scene of a car crash involving a Chevy Camaro stolen from the Hertz Car Rental parking lot in Kona, where he also was found with more than six grams of methamphetamines and a loaded gun in his backpack.

The 2022 incident sentenced John “Bozo” Rapozo for stealing the Chevy Camaro, possession of methamphetamine, and prohibited possession of an unserialized Glock style handgun with a high-capacity magazine, the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the Prosecuting Attorney announced Tuesday evening.

According to the office:

Rapozo, appeared in Hilo Circuit Court for his sentencing hearing earlier this month. He had had 38 prior felony convictions at the time of his arrest.

On July 1, 2024, Rapozo pleaded guilty to Theft in the First Degree (theft of a motor vehicle, a Chevrolet Camaro), Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Second Degree (possess more than one-eighth of an ounce of methamphetamine), and Ownership or Possession of a Firearm Prohibited.

On April 28, 2022, Rapozo, was apprehended by police after fleeing on foot from the scene
of a traffic collision involving the Camaro, which was originally stolen from the Hertz Car Rental
parking lot in Kona earlier that month.

Following the execution of a search warrant upon Rapozo’s backpack, officers recovered over six grams of methamphetamine and a loaded, unserialized 9mm Glock style handgun with a high-capacity magazine.

Theft in the First Degree, Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Second Degree, and
Ownership or Possession of a Firearm Prohibited are all class B felony offenses which carry a
maximum penalty of a ten-year prison term.

The investigation was led by Detective Blaine Morishita, Area I Criminal Investigation
Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Elyssa Correia Keltner.

The office asks anyone with information that could assist local law enforcement to call
Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.