HILO, Hawaiʻi Island – A 31-year-old Hilo man, Keoni Brian Paulino, has been arrested and charged with a series of financial and drug-related crimes following a mail theft incident in the Waiākea Uka area early Tuesday morning.
The charges stem from a police investigation that began at 2:07 a.m. on June 10, when South Hilo patrol officers responded to reports of stolen mail from mailboxes along Kupulau Road. Witnesses reported a dark-colored SUV fleeing the scene.
Officers soon located a dark blue Mercedes SUV matching the description and initiated a traffic stop on West Kawili Street. Paulino, the vehicle’s sole occupant, was taken into custody after officers spotted multiple pieces of mail stuffed under the passenger seat.
A search warrant executed on the SUV uncovered:
Mail belonging to Waiākea Uka residents
Stolen credit cards
Receipts of fraudulent transactions
A glass pipe testing positive for methamphetamine
After consultation with county prosecutors, Paulino was officially charged on Wednesday, June 11, with:
3 counts: Theft of mail
4 counts: Unauthorized possession of personal info
3 counts: Theft of a credit card
3 counts: Fraudulent credit card use
3 counts: Third-degree identity theft
3 counts: Fourth-degree theft
Promoting a dangerous drug (third degree)
Habitual property crime
Failure to appear warrant
His total bail was set at $264,000, and Judge Kanani Laubach maintained that amount during his initial appearance on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is set for Monday, June 16 at 2 p.m.
The Area I Criminal Investigation Section is continuing to investigate the case.