Career criminal Lincoln
back in prison for
failing parole

The self-described "enforcer"
had just gotten out in January

Less than a year since his release from prison, John Kalani Lincoln, who once described himself as an enforcer for organized crime, is back behind bars for violating conditions of supervised release.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor resentenced Lincoln, now in his late 50s, to the maximum five years in federal prison after he admitted to the violations, his attorney, Eric Seitz, confirmed.

After pleading guilty in 1994 to federal drug and weapons violations, Lincoln was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison. After serving most of his term, Lincoln was placed on furlough in January and began a five-year term of supervised release in July, Seitz said.

He was arrested Nov. 30 for various violations, including testing positive for morphine, methamphetamine and codeine on three occasions, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Brady.

Lincoln also refused to provide samples for testing and was associating with known felons, Brady said.

Although Lincoln admitted to the violations, Seitz had argued that his client should be placed in a drug treatment program because his problems stemmed from his drug addiction. Lincoln has not received any treatment in the last 30 years or while incarcerated, Seitz said. He also recently married.

The range recommended by the probation office was 12 to 16 months, but Gillmor ordered Lincoln to serve the maximum, citing his long record, the bad decisions he's made and because she didn't think he would succeed on supervised release, Seitz said. "I think it's all wrong."

Lincoln's criminal record includes three felony convictions -- having sex with an underage girl in 1966, escape from prison in 1967, attempted second-degree murder for shooting a bar doorman in 1967 and escape from prison in 1981. He was acquitted of killing a fellow inmate in 1974.

His most notable charge was in connection with the 1978 double murder of Maui real estate developer Paul Warford and friend David Blue at a Honokowai apartment. He was accused of hiring admitted hitman Anthony Kekona Jr. to carry out the killings.

Lincoln was convicted of murder twice in that case in Maui state court at two separate trials. The convictions were later overturned by the Hawaii Supreme Court, and Lincoln was ultimately acquitted at a third trial on Oahu. Kekona was convicted of attempted murder and two counts of murder in the case.

Lincoln was arrested in the federal drug case a few years later, Seitz said.

He disputes Lincoln's reputation as a crime figure, calling him instead a "mover and shaker" who knew everybody.

Lincoln, a Hawaiian nationalist, has composed songs including "My Hawaiian Queen" -- a tribute to Queen Liliuokalani -- and "Oh Akua."

He once described himself to the FBI as an enforcer who got paid to beat people up for not paying their debts.