Fake pain claims
to get drugs puts
pair in jail

By Anthony Sommer
Star-Bulletin

LIHUE -- Kenneth Rapozo, 28, and his friend Hiram Kane, 44, weren't feeling any pain for almost three months last year, but it appears they're in a world of hurt today.

The two Kauai men are in jail awaiting trial on 62 felony drug counts stemming from Rapozo allegedly faking various aches and pains to obtain what authorities believe is hundreds of prescription pain pills from numerous local doctors.

The pair was arraigned Monday on an indictment handed down by the Kauai County Grand Jury. As of late yesterday they had been unable to make bail.

According to the indictment, between March 22 and June 11 last year, Rapozo made 20 visits to nine different physicians complaining of a sore throat, a sore back, body pain, neck pain and leg pain.

Each of the doctors gave him prescriptions for pain pills, almost all containing codeine. Some of the prescriptions were for as many as 90 pills and several allowed refills, the indictment states.

Rapozo gave the vast majority of the pills to Kane, 44, in exchange for beer and cigarettes, according to the indictment. There is nothing in the indictment to indicate the two ever tried to sell any of the pills. Their trial is set for July 12.