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Ex-guard, inmate convicted in Hawaii gang trial

By WTOP Staff

JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — A former guard was found guilty of taking bribes from a Hawaii prison gang to smuggle drugs and cigarettes to prisoners, while an inmate was convicted of leading a brutal attack to maintain his position in the gang.

Jurors reached their verdicts Friday after deliberating for about five hours in a federal trial that has offered an inside look at the operations of the “USO Family” prison gang.

Prosecutors say the gang started with a few Hawaii inmates needing protection from other gangs when they found themselves in a mainland prison after the state began sending its inmates away because of a lack of space and budget constraints on the islands. The gang has grown to at least 1,000 members involved in drug-trafficking, violence and tax fraud, prosecutors said.

Former Halawa Correctional Facility guard Feso Malufau and inmate Tineimalo Adkins were among 18 men indicted last year on racketeering-related charges. The others have pleaded guilty.

Malufau’s defense attorney, Barry Edwards, maintained the gang is so sophisticated that it was able to frame the former guard, preying on his financial troubles. The prosecution asserted his money problems motivated him to become corrupt.

Edwards declined to comment after the verdicts were read.

Adkins’ defense attorney, Marcus Sierra, said no credible witnesses testified he took part in the 2013 attack. Sierra said it doesn’t make sense that Adkins would misbehave nine months before his scheduled release.

Adkins plans to appeal, Sierra said. “I think he was prepared for the worst,” the attorney said.

Many of the witnesses who testified during the trial were current or former inmates who described how the gang participates in riots and deals and uses drugs in prison. They discussed oaths to never turn their backs on each other and taking beatings as punishment. Some testified with the expectation of receiving shorter sentences in exchange for their testimony. One prosecution witness was afraid of the defendants seeing his face, so he refused to testify or even enter the courtroom. “Uso” means brother in Samoan, but the gang includes members of any ethnicity.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake said she credits law enforcement for “taking down a prolific criminal organization.”

“And there were a lot of hurdles in this case because of the fear of violence and intimidation,” she said.

The guilty verdicts and pleas put a significant dent in the gang, she said. “It has a chilling effect and sends a message,” Otake said.

The trial also exposed weaknesses in Hawaii’s prison system. At Halawa, inmate calls were unmonitored, searches of staff were cursory and log books went largely ignored, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Brady said in his closing statement.

“These guilty verdicts are a result of our concerted effort to root out contraband and corruption and strengthen procedures,” state Department of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai said in a statement. “Our hard-working, dedicated employees as well as the public expect us to weed out these types of illegal, unsafe activities, and we are continuing to do that through on-going investigations.”

Malufau and Adkins face up to 20 years in prison when they are sentenced in February. Prosecutors requested Malufau, who is free on bail, be detained pending sentencing. U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi set an Oct. 20 hearing on whether he must be detained.

Edwards told the judge that Malufau has abided by the conditions of his release and is the sole caregiver for his 8-year-old and 18-year-old children. His wife is serving a one-year prison term for bankruptcy fraud.

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Follow Jennifer Sinco Kelleher at http://www.twitter.com/JenHapa .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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