8 on wanted roster caught

A MidWeek story leads to tips on most of the fugitives, police say

Eight of the 11 "most wanted" fugitives being sought by CrimeStoppers have been caught since being featured in the May 28 edition of MidWeek.

"It was a great help," Honolulu police Sgt. Kim Buffett, CrimeStoppers coordinator, said of the weekly newspaper's report. "Within the first week, we had calls on a majority of them."

Buffett had said the 11 chosen to be placed on the most-wanted list were selected because all of their crimes were related to crystal methamphetamine, or "ice," and the Police Department wanted to show the effect that the drug was having on individuals and the community.

Police arrested Walter Bernard, 21; Brian Keith D. Francisco, 25; Jerald L.K. Lee, 38; William "Popcorn" Young, 46; Rhonda L. Kaleohi, 36; Julia Miner, 34; Charles Unaite, 42; Moesolo Tuiloma, 36.

Still being sought are:

» Brenda L. Perez, 47, 5-feet-1, 125 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes. She is wanted on an $11,000 probation revocation warrant issued for charges of promoting a dangerous drug and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.

» Johnny Logoua Fruean, 30, 6-feet-3, 250 pounds, black hair and brown eyes. He is wanted on a $50,000 warrant for failing to appear for sentencing at Circuit Court on Sept. 5, 2007. Fruean was to be sentenced for promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree, unlawful use of drug paraphernalia and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.

» Melissa Rose Magbitang, 46, 5-feet-3, 160 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes. She is wanted on a $20,000 warrant for failure to appear and comply with the terms and conditions of her probation on charges of promoting a dangerous drug and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.

Tips on the whereabouts of these fugitives can be called in to CrimeStoppers' anonymous hot line, 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cell phone.

The list can be found at MidWeek.com.

MidWeek is a sister publication of the Star-Bulletin.