I receive a tip within the last hour that convicted crime boss, Micheal J. Miske, Jr., was found dead in Honolulu’s Federal Detention Center earlier today.

Although I have not fully confirmed from official sources, it has apparently now been confirmed and reported by Hawaii News Now. Before it became public, the news had been spreading rapidly among those Miske’s criminal entrprise had impacted, including family and friends of Jonathan Fraser.

Miske was convicted by a federal jury in July on 13 of 16 charges, including murder for hire, murder in aid of racketeering, and kidnapping for the murder of Fraser, who Miske wrongly blamed for the death of his son, Caleb Miske. The jury also found that more than $20 million of assets should be forfeited to the federal government.

Miske was scheduled to be sentenced early next year. Several charges carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison, although it appeared likely that an appeal would be filed on his behalf once he had been sentenced.

Miske turned 50 in February, not long after the beginning of his federal racketeering trial.

During a criminal career that the government alleged dated back to the late 1990s, when Miske was in his 20s, Miske build a business network that operated as a facade that hid his criminal activities. He was well known as the owner of Kamaaina Termite & Pest Control and the M Nightclub, along with several other local businesses.

All of Miske’s 12 co-defendants also pleaded guilty before the start of the trial, including his half-brother, John Stancil. In addition, another group of defenants were charged separately with taking part in Miske’s criminal organization and also pleaded guilty. Most are now awaiting sentencing.

Some are likely to welcome the news of Miske’s death, while others may view it as a failure of the federal prison system.

More later as details become public.