LIHUE >> A court in Phoenix set a Jan. 27 trial date yesterday for Gary Baldwin, president of the Kauai Economic Development and formerly Kauai's representative on the Hawaii Tourism Authority, on felony fraud and theft charges. Kauai official’s theft
trial to start Jan. 27By Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.comThe date was set at a pretrial conference in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Baldwin and his Phoenix attorney, Michael Kimerer, previously had expressed optimism that the charges would be dropped before yesterday's conference, which Baldwin flew to Phoenix to attend.
Baldwin is accused of stealing $330,000 from a Phoenix eye doctor, Dr. David Dulaney, in 1984. He is charged with one count of fraud and four counts of theft.
At the time, Baldwin was operating an executive aircraft leasing service in Boulder, Colo. According to police reports, he convinced Dulaney to purchase a $3.3 million Gates Lear Jet through him and lease it back to Baldwin's company as a tax write-off.
Baldwin is accused of making a series of unauthorized transfers of money from Dulaney's bank account into his company's bank account. Some of the money was used in conjunction with the purchase of the jet, but large amounts were not accounted for.
Baldwin disappeared from Colorado in 1985. Although he moved to Kauai, none of his former business associates knew his whereabouts, according to police reports. He was indicted by a Phoenix grand jury in 1986.
Last year, a business associate of Dulaney's located Baldwin on Kauai. The FBI issued a fugitive warrant for Baldwin and arrested him at his home on July 22 of this year. He is free on $274,000 bail.
Following yesterday's conference, Kimerer said he will be filing a motion to dismiss the charges because Baldwin's constitutional rights to a speedy trial were violated. He said he will contend that Baldwin, who has never changed his name, is a well-known public figure in Hawaii and could easily have been located.
Baldwin's title with the Kauai Economic Development Board has changed several times. Before being named to the HTA board, he was president and chief executive officer of the Kauai Economic Development Board.
During his years on the HTA board, he was called the executive director of the West Kauai Technology Center, an office building owned by the Kauai Economic Development Board, which also receives HTA grants. In June, when his term on the HTA board ended, he again became president and CEO of the KEDB.
Through all those title changes, his duties running the KEDB and $100,000 salary never changed.
A report from the state auditor's office earlier this year cited Baldwin's dual role with both the HTA and the KEDB as one of the major accountability problems in the HTA.
Since his arrest he has been given the title of "consultant," also with a $100,000 annual salary, and he continues to run the KEDB from his North Shore Kauai home.
County of Kauai
