HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A former adult corrections officer involved in a high-profile fireworks case has pleaded guilty, the Department of the Attorney General announced on Wednesday.
Gilchrist Fernandez, in a plea deal, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to two class C felonies: importation of fireworks and attempted possession of fireworks. He was under investigation for ordering illegal fireworks to be mailed to the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC), where he was employed.
The case had been under investigation by several agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Honolulu Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The fireworks bust took place on December 6, 2022, inside OCCC’s mailroom.
Attorney General Anne Lopez stated, “While working as a corrections officer, Mr. Fernandez arranged for nearly 95 pounds of aerial fireworks to be sent to the correctional facility he was tasked with securing. This type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated.”
The investigation tracked financial transactions leading to the purchase of the fireworks from a vendor in Nevada.
Fernandez’s sentencing is set for June 18, 2025. He will be fined $5,000 and could face up to 90 days in prison.
