You never know what you’re going to find when following up on local news.
KITV reported yesterday that another illegal game room was raided on Tuesday night (“Gambling machines, cash and drugs seized from illegal game room in McCully“). The station reported a 42-year old man was arrested for possession of gambling devices and promotion of dangerous drugs.
Checking the Honolulu Police Department’s arrest logs, the 42-year old arrested was a Vietnamese by the name of Tom Van Tran, who was booked for promotion of gambling 2nd and possession of gambling devices.
Also arrested in the raid on two counts of 3rd degree promotion of dangerous drugs was Armin Baertschi, 30.
Tuesday’s raid took place at 845 McCully Street, which is in a commercial building on McCully between Citron and Waiola Street known as the McCully Plaza. The building is owned by KC Management LLC.
KC Maagement LLC is owned by Wai Tung Kwok and his wife, Suet Lin Sally Chow. The company was registered with the state on February 9, 2017. On February 23, 2017, Wai Tung Kwok purchased the property for $2,790,000. In July 2017, it was transferred to KC Management, which registered the trade name, The McCully Plaza.
KC Management made the purchase with a $1,780,000 loan from Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Co.
What KITV didn’t report is that Tran was arrested in the same location in September 2018 when police raided an illegal gambling room operated by South Shore Arcade. He was charged with 2nd degree promotion of gambling and possession of gambling devices. During that raid, police seized $1,381 in cash.
The charges against Tran were dismissed in March 2019 for “lack of prosecution” after the arresting officers failed to show up in court, court records show.
He was arrested again in November 2019 and charged with the same offenses. The case was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. A hearing in that case is scheduled for this afternoon via Zoom.
I was unable to retrieve Baertschi’s court records this morning due to “a system error” in the Judiciary’s online system.
The McCully Plaza building has been sold several times in the past few years with quickly escalating prices. In November 2013, it was sold for $1,150,000 to Green Tree Property, Inc. It was resold on May 31, 2016, to Elim Holdings Limited Liability Company for $2,300,000. And then less than a year later, it was purchased by Kwok for $2,790,000.
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“… The charges against Tran were dismissed in March 2019 for ‘lack of prosecution’ after the arresting officers failed to show up in court…”
Wow, how much easier can it be to wash away this kind of stuff?
Crime pays.
Based on community police outreach person for our area, and general observation of the local news, it seems that crime thrives, in part, due to ineffective prosecution. Let’s hope the newly elected DA and police work better together in future. In a lengthy conversation with a bail bondsman employee recently it seems one good solution for crime problems is not ‘more released without bail’ but ‘more prisons.’ This seems contraflow with the local activist community. Which direction should we go, I wonder.
How about just legalizing gambling? These pop up joints are everywhere. My idea is to turn the Hawaii Convention Center into the first and largest casino on the island! Think about it. New revenues for the state. Demand for gambling is certainly here in Hawaii. Just look at the number of Hawaiians going to Vegas on a regular basis. How about the 6/5 football bets? That market is huge and all underground. Not a dime to the state/city coffers.
If you think gambling is bad for Hawaii and will make our islands worse – be realistic.
Are we so “good” right now? Look at the homeless issues in Honolulu. How can we get any worse? We’re already there.
When you factor in all the rail costs to build, then to operate such a big white elephant that will lose money every year, it won’t get any better for us all.
You want the tourism industry in Hawaii to bounce back, open a few casinos and they will come.
Larry, your nihilism is actually understandable and I agree. But every time I mention similar arguments, the counter is that “our” politicians are owned by the Las Vegas syndicates and even Hawaiian Airlines lobbyists won’t allow it for fear of a lack of interest in flights to LV.
But yes, the moral/societal decline argument is moot in my opinion as well.
“The charges against Tran were dismissed in March 2019 for “lack of prosecution” after the arresting officers failed to show up in court, court records show.”
Wow…I know a speeding ticket can be tossed if the issuing cop doesn’t show up but THIS?? What next, murder case tossed because arresting cops on vacation?
It’s almost obvious the cops that got Van Tran’s case tossed were probably ordered to not show up by a more senior cop that was probably getting paid off to allow his “enterprise” to go on. Purely conjecture, of course.
THANKS for reporting this Ian. Unfortunately and predictably, your post got distracted by the “legalize gambling” comments that follow every gambling parlor raid. (Indian casinos on the mainland have not put a dent in illegal gambling in those states).
What I think you are on to is the hidden story (until now) of shady building/property owners.
Your description of McCully Plaza sales transactions resembles classic money laundering.
Oh, and I just love the part of your story where the cop doesn’t show up so case closed and the bad guy gets a free get out of jail card. Another hidden story revealed that I’m sure most of the general public doesn’t know about.
PS: I wonder if any of these McCully Plaza LLC’s and Holding Co’s ever made political contributions over the years?
At what point in the judicial process did the cops not show up – preliminary hearing?
Makes me wonder just how many of these arrests and game room raids have translated into successful prosecutions?
Ian – I’m genuinely curious as to your description of Tom Van Tran as “Vietnamese.” Is he a citizen of Vietnam? If not, is his ethnicity relevant to the story?
Some smart critical reader here…
The police report indicates ethnicity of each person arrested. In this case, the arrest log was consistent with court records which show Tran requested a Vietnamese translator in earlier court appearances.
Its relevance remains to be seen. Whether there’s an ethnic dimension in the widespread illegal gambling operations is a question I’m interested in. Vietnamese gangs, Samoan gangs, Korean gangs and, I’m sure, others are reported to be active. I’m interested in what these arrest logs indicate in this regard, if anything. Hence my decision to include that as a data point.
Take a chill pill snowflake.
It is relevant same as you attaching “boy” to your name.
@Johnboy
HPD arrest logs provide an ethnic description of every person arrested. My guess is that Ian is simply reporting what the HPD arrest log states.
Regarding your curiosity as to whether it’s relevant or not?
I’ll have to reflect on that.
I can see how reporting a person’s ethnicity could lead to xenophobic fears. On the other hand, I deserve the right to know who my neighbors are and what they are up to.
Great informative reporting Ian. Thank-you.
Pardon my dumping on “JohnBoy”.
I’m sick of politically correct cancel culture.
Reddit & Next Door are dominated by PC censorship.
It’s a disease causing great harm to society.
~
Organized crime launders another way.
Look at L/ .e m/ .o n/ road H/ o. s/ t. e/ .l s/.
Long history of shady deals. Bartering still at poly hostile.