3 people arrested after illegal cockfight is busted in Hawaiian Paradise Park

A Hilo woman and two Kea‘au men were arrested last weekend after law enforcement busted an illegal cockfight in Puna.

Lehualani K. Kaleiwahea, 49, of Hilo was arrested for:

• 29 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals.
• One count of first-degree promoting gambling.
• One count of first-degree possession of gambling records.
• One count of second-degree promoting gambling.

Isaac Dylan H. Ragasa-Kaleiwahea, 28, of Kea‘au, was arrested for:

• 29 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals.
• One count of first-degree promoting gambling.
• One count of first-degree possession of gambling records.
• One count of second-degree promoting gambling.

Domonick Uchima, 37, of Kea‘au, was arrested for:

• One count of second-degree promoting gambling.

All three were released pending further investigation.

Members of the Hawai‘i Police Department’s Area I Vice Section, with assistance from members of the Criminal Investigation Section and Puna Patrol as well as U.S. Homeland Security Task Force officers, executed a search warrant at 2:40 p.m. May 18 at a residence on 18th Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park, where it’s estimated more than 100 people were attending the cockfight.

During their search of the residence and property, police recovered 25 dead birds; four injured birds; cockfighting paraphernalia, including gambling records; and a small amount of marijuana. Homeland Security officers also seized about $20,000 in cash.

The investigation into this operation and its organizers is ongoing.

Anyone who has information about the cockfight last weekend in Hawaiian Paradise Park is asked to contact Detective Scotty Aloy at 808-961-2207 or by email at Scotty.Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

The Hawai‘i Police Department encourages Big Island residents to report any suspicious and illegal activity via the department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.