HILO >> Two Big Island men who stole koa trees worth $104,000 from state land were sentenced this week to repay $15,375 to the state. 2 men must repay state
for stolen koa woodBy Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.comAaron Cypriano, 34, and Herbert De Costa Jr., 36, who pleaded guilty in March to second-degree theft for cutting down 37 koa trees in May and June 2001, were also sentenced to six months in jail Thursday.
But Judge Riki May Amano said the two do not have to serve the jail time immediately because it is more important for them to pay off the value of the wood.
The difference the restitution and the value of the koa trees is apparently due to the fact that state officers recovered most of the stolen logs. However, the logs were rotting in the open air when a state officer showed them to the Star-Bulletin in March.
Amano ordered Cypriano to pay his portion of the restitution at $135 a month, which will require him to pay for nearly five years.
De Costa was ordered to pay his share at $300 a month, meaning he would be paid up in more than two years.
Amano also ordered both men to perform 1,000 hours of community service each.
Both men have long records of mostly petty crimes. De Costa had 12 prior convictions, the state Intake Service Center said. Cypriano had 30 outstanding cases, the agency said.
Amano ordered the men to report back periodically to the court, beginning in about six weeks.