I’m sure people are wondering what kind of “deals” have been made with former associates of Michael Miske who have already “flipped” by pleading guilty, admitted to crimes that were tied to the accused racketeering boss, and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, including testifying against their former associates if required.

To answer the question, I went back over the guilty pleas already entered by Miske’s co-defendants, or by others who were charged separately but admitted to being directly or tangentially part of what prosecutors refer to as the Miske Enterprise.

The short answer is that many defendants face, at minimum, a mandatory 10-year sentence, while others are exposed to much long possible sentences despite their plea deals. One was sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison, despite his guilty plea and deal with prosecutors.

There are 13 defendants that I am able to identify with the Miske case, and it is very possible there are others that remain below the radar. It appears those expected to testify at Miske’s trial have had their sentencing dates postponed several times, so that they will be sentenced after the trial is over. This will allow prosecutors to assess whether they have followed through on commitments made as part of their plea agreements.

Several others have already been sentenced, and some sentences have been harsh, while in one case the sentence was minimal. These appear to be defendants who were arrested earlier and provided information that allowed investigators to work up in Miske’s hierarchy as they made the case against Miske and his inner circle.

In any case, here are the cases I’ve identified so far and their actual or potential sentences.

Wayne Miller (38)
Pleaded guilty to being part of Miske’s racketeering conspiracy.
Faces up to 20 years in prison.
Miller previously served a 10-year term for armed robberies of several Oahu credit unions. He was released from federal prison in January 2014 and soon was working for Miske. He admitted that in July 2014, he traveled to California with Michael Buntenbah, one of Miske co-defendants, with $400,000 in cash to buy cocaine. He said the cash was provided by Miske.
He was close to Miske, and is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution.
In return for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped drug charges that carried a 10-year minimum sentence, with a maximum of life in prison.
Miller is presumed in detention awaiting sentencing.
However, Miller no longer appears in the Federal Bureau of Prisons online inmate locator. Even his 2014 release after serving time on the bank robbery charges is no longer listed.

Jacob “Jake” Smith (29)
Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate racketeering laws, with possible sentence up to 20 years in prison, and to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute meth, which carries a 10-year minimum sentence plus a minimum of 5-years supervised release, with a life sentence possible, and supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
Smith admitted to being “on call” to assault victims at Miske’s direction, for which he was paid $1,500 to $2,000 each.
He was also identified by several others as a one of several drug dealers associate with the Miske group.
The government agreed it would not bring additional charges for specific crimes Smith admitted to that part of the racketeering offenses he participated in between 2015 and 2018.
Smith is held at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu pending sentencing.

Kaulana Freitas (34)
Pleaded guilty to being part of Miske’s conspiracy to violate racketeering laws, and to knowingly using a chemical weapon in an attack on a Honolulu nightclub.
He faces a prison term of up to 20 years on the racketeering conspiracy charge, and up to life in prison on the chemical weapon charge.
Freitas has been released from custody pending sentencing.

Ashlin Akau (31)
18 USC 229
Pleaded guilty to a single count of knowingly using, and assisting the use of, a chemical weapon, in this case a toxic chemical used in termite treatment.
In return, the government dropped additional charges, including conspiracy to commit a chemical attack, and charges stemming from robberies of drug dealers in which she participated but disclosed as part of her plea deal.
Akau, a former all-star volleyball player for Kailua High School, faces a possible sentence of life in prison.
She is free pending sentencing.

Harry Kauhi (42)
Pleaded guilty to participating in Miske’s racketeering conspiracy, and taking part in the armed robbery of another drug dealer.
He faces a possible 20 year sentence on the conspiracy charge, and up to another 20 years on the robbery charge.
The government agreed to drop four additional charges that would have included a mandatory minimum prison term, as well as a possible life sentence.
Kauhi remains in custody awaiting sentencing.

Norman Akau (49)
Pleaded guilty to a single count of being part of Miske’s conspiracy to violate federal racketeering laws, which carries a possible 20-year sentence.
In return for his plea and cooperation, prosecutors dropped four drug and weapon charges that included possible life in prison, and agreed not to bring additional charges for attempted murder or “any murder for hire scheme” that Akau disclosed to investigators.
Akau was a member of the Kaneohe-based Nakipi Motorcycle Club, a part of a group of Nakipi members that were part of Miske’s organization.
He was also an executive board member of IATSE, the union representing stagehands in film and stage productions.
Akau is detained awaiting sentencing.

Hunter Wilson (26)
Pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 16 in the 2nd Superseding Indictment, conspiring to violate Racketeering laws (maximum 20 year sentence) and to distribute controlled substances, including meth, cocain, oxycodone, marijuana (mandatory 10 year minimum, with possible maximum of life in prison).
The government agreed to drop additional weapon and robbery charges, one of which included mandatory minimum and maximum of life.
Wilson has been released pending sentencing.

Nick Carignan (34)
Pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth (mandatory minimum of 10 years, possible life sentence).
The government dropped a charge of felon in possession of ammunition, and agreed not to bring additional charges related to crimes Carignan revealed in post-arrest statements to investigators.
Carignan was identified during a court hearing as the drug dealer who was the victim of the armed robbery by several of Miske’s associates, who were also affiliated with the Nakipi Motorcycle Club.
Carignan has been released pending sentencing.

Timothy Taboada (32)
Taboada was a Kaneohe dealer who admitted to conspiring with Zapata, Hunter Wilson, Jacob Smith, Lance Bermudez and others to distribute methamphetamine.
He identified Hunter Wilson and Jake Smith as he main drug suppliers.
He also admitted to assisting Smith and Lance Bermudez, another Miske co-defendant, in robbery of Mapunapuna game room.
He was sentenced in June 2021 to 120 months in federal prison, and five years of supervised release.
Taboada is currently scheduled for release in March 2027

Catherine Nicole Zapata (28)
Zapata was Taboada’s girlfriend, and assisted in his drug dealing activities.
She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
She was approved to participate in the court’s Kapilipono Program and successfully completed it.
She was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and three years supervised release.
Zapata is scheduled for release on 9/6/2022.

Jonah Ortiz (43)
Pleaded guilty to kidnapping an accountant along with Wayne Miller (possible prison term of up to 20 years and three years supervised release), and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (10 year mandatory minimum sentence, possible life in prison, plus 5 years or more of supervised release).
Ortiz would buy meth in California and send back to Hawaii, and admitted making at least shipments by the time of his arrest in August 2018.
Ortiz was sentenced to 188 months in prison (15 years & 8 months) on each count, to be served concurrently, and 12-months to be served consecutively for violating probation on a prior conviction.
He is scheduled to be release in October 2032.

Tricia Castro
Former accountant for Miske and his businesses, and prepared tax returns for other Miske insiders.
Pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Possible 5 year prison term and fine up to $250K, plus up to three years supervision.
She is free pending sentencing, now scheduled for July 2023.

Michael Buntenbah (50)
Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering, with possible 20-year sentence, stemming from assaults while working as a bouncer at Miske’s M Nightclub.
Buntenbah was the only Miske co-defendants who was not charged with being a participant in the racketeering conspiracy.
Prosecutors agreed to drop two drug charges with mandatory 10-year minimum sentences and possible life in prison.
Buntenbah was released pending sentencing.