A woman and two men were arrested Saturday afternoon during what police say was a cockfight raid on the Kaloli Drive end of the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Puna. Taken into custody were 49-year-old Lehualani Kuuipo Kaleiwahea of Hilo, on suspicion of second-degree promotion of gambling and 29 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals; Kaleiwahea’s son, 29-year-old Isaac Dylan Hokulani Ragasa-Kaleiwahea of Keaau, on suspicion of second-degree promotion of gambling; and 37-year-old Domonick Uchima of Kurtistown, on suspicion of second-degree promotion of gambling. The trio was booked between 2 p.
m. and 3 p.m.
Saturday at the Hilo Police Station. All were later released pending further investigation without being charged, police said. Second-degree promotion of gambling is a Class C felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison upon conviction.
Second-degree cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor, except in cases where 10 or more animals are involved in the same incident, which would appear to be the case here. In that event, second-degree cruelty to animals becomes a Class C felony. Police Capt.
Rio Amon-Wilkins, commander of the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division, credited the raid to what he called “good, old-fashioned police work.” It was a plainclothes operation with personnel from all three CID divisions — Criminal Investigations Section, Vice Section and Juvenile Aid Section — involved, Amon-Wilkins said. Amon-Wilkins said there.
