Kahala bank robbery
suspects will face federal
grand jury

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

Three men are awaiting indictment by a federal grand jury in the Kahala American Savings Bank robbery July 7.

Federal Magistrate Francis Yamashita yesterday ruled there was enough evidence to try Sean Matsunaga, 20, and Jacob Travis Hayme, 23, on charges they participated in the armed holdup in which $110,000 was taken. He ordered them held without bail pending grand jury proceedings.

On Thursday, Yamashita also ordered Albert Raymond Batalona, 24, held on the same charges. The last co-defendant, Roger Dailey, is cooperating with federal officials and is in protective custody.

Matsunaga's attorney, Birney Bervar, and Hayme's attorney, Suzanne Terada, argued that the government could not produce direct evidence to link their clients to the bank robbery. Dailey "has serious credibility problems," Terada said.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Johnson said although Dailey initially lied to police, information he provided led authorities to the identification of the other three robbers and evidence seized at various locations corroborated his version of what transpired, Johnson said.

Items recovered at a School Street home and Matsunaga's car link Matsunaga to the bank robbery. And Hayme was literally caught "holding the bag" containing more than $40,000 of the bank money when he was arrested, Johnson said.

At yesterday's evidentiary hearing for Matsunaga and Hayme, more details on the robbery and the subsequent arrest of those involved surfaced.

FBI Agent James Tamura-Wageman said Dailey knew Hayme from fixing cars and was introduced to Batalona and Matsunaga.

Based on information provided by Dailey, Honolulu police and federal authorities arrested Hayme on July 11 coming down the stairs of his Kakaako apartment. Hayme was carrying a laundry basket from which officials recovered $44,807. Also recovered from Hayme's apartment were an unloaded assault-type rifle, and ammunition and a loaded revolver in a black bag.

The assault rifle, which fires .223-caliber rounds, matched witness descriptions of the weapons used in the takeover robbery, Wageman said. The rifle's caliber also matched the nearly 30 shell casings recovered at the scene of the robbery.

In a search of Matsunaga's car, police found three ammunition magazines that matched the magazines of shell casings recovered at the robbery.

At a School Street home, police recovered a black bag with the muzzle of an assault-type rifle protruding. A black Nike golf bag, a plastic storage case and milk crate containing jumper cables also found were later identified as belonging to the owner of the stolen Chevy Blazer which was used by the robbers as a getaway car. Resident Marlon Tse, a friend of Matsunaga, told police Matsunaga brought the items to his home July 7 -- the day of the robbery -- asking him to store it.

Dailey also told the FBI that he was the lookout person who was posted inside the bank to keep an eye out for approaching police. He had been given a weapon but left it inside the Chevy Blazer.

Dailey turned over about $22,000 of the money taken in the heist. He also corrected earlier reports saying there were only four robbers, not five, involved in the holdup.