MEDIA RELEASE

Cheavis Kataoka

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged a 33-year-old Hilo man with theft and six other offenses in connection with the theft of a check.

In July, South Hilo patrol officers responded to a financial institution in Hilo for a report that the suspect had cashed two stolen checks on two separate days. The checks were from an invalid account that had been closed for five years.

Cheavis Kataoka, who lives in the Hilo area, was arrested Monday (December 23) and held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.

At 9:26 a.m. Tuesday (December 24), detectives charged Kataoka with fourth-degree theft, two counts of third-degree forgery, two counts of second-degree identity theft, and two counts of second-degree theft. His bail was set at $75,000.

He remained at the police cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Thursday (December 26).