Second Hawai‘i Island police officer pleads no contest in evidence tampering case

A second Hawai‘i Island police officer has pleaded no contest after being charged in connection with an unconstitutional search of an arrestee’s belongings in May 2023 inside the Hilo Police Station.

On Tuesday, Officer Noah Serrao entered his no contest plea to perjury, false swearing in official matters and tampering with a government record in 3rd Circuit Court in Hilo.

The State of Hawai‘i Attorney General filed a felony charging complaint in 3rd Circuit Court in January against Serrao, along with Officer Blane Kenolio, who pleaded no contest to tampering with physical evidence in February.

Perjury is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. False Swearing in Official Matters and Tampering with a Government Record are misdemeanor offenses punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

“The people of Hawaiʻi rely on the integrity of our justice system at every stage,” said Hawai‘i State Attorney General Anne Lopez. “The rule of law depends on honesty, accountability and respect for constitutional rights. Our office is committed to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of position, are held to these standards.”

Both officers have been with the department for six years and have remained in patrol as their court proceedings continued.

“The Hawaiʻi Police Department holds its officers to the highest standards of integrity and truthfulness,” said Hawai’i Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna. “When those standards are violated, we fully support a fair and independent process to ensure accountability. We appreciate the thorough work of the Department of the Attorney General and remain committed to maintaining the trust of our community.”

Kenolio remains with the force.

Following Kenolio’s no-contest plea in February, Mahuna said there was no further action he could take, as the officer had been disciplined in June and July of 2023 for this misconduct.

Big Island Now has reached out to Mahuna about whether or not Serrao will remain on the force.

Kenolio is scheduled for sentencing on May 28. Serrao is slated to be sentenced on June 30.

The charges against the officers stemmed from Kenolio’s unconstitutional search of an arrestee’s belongings inside the Hilo Police Station. According to a news release from the Department of the Attorney General, Kenolio searched a closed container found inside the arrestee’s handbag without a warrant.

“He then sprayed an alcohol solution on the outside of the closed container and thoroughly wiped it down to remove trace evidence of his search,” the release stated.

Serrao and Kenolio asked the presiding court to defer acceptance of their no-contest pleas.