3 officers indicted in gambling bust

They are accused of warning a North Shore operation of impending HPD raids

Three Honolulu police officers allegedly conspired with a large landowning family on the North Shore to operate an illegal gambling business -- cockfighting, craps and card games -- across from Waialua Elementary School, according to a federal indictment.

In a six-count indictment filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, Sgt. Kevin Brunn of the Wahiawa District, Officer Bryson Apo of the Kaneohe District and officer Glenn Miram, a seven-year veteran assigned to the Narcotics Vice Division, are accused of conspiracy and of obstructing law enforcement, enabling the illegal gambling business to operate.

POLICEMEN INDICTED Three police officers have been indicted in an illegal gambling business: » Sgt. Kevin Brunn of the Wahiawa District. » Officer Bryson Apo of the Kaneohe District. » Officer Glenn Miram, a seven-year veteran assigned to the Narcotics Vice Division.

Brunn and Micha Terragna are also charged in the indictment with three counts of extorting money from Charles Gilman, alleged operator of the cockfights, in exchange for warning them of impending raids by the Police Department's gambling detail. The indictment says Brunn, a 21-year police veteran, allegedly used threats such as saying Gilman was not in prison because of Brunn's efforts.

The charges come nearly a year after FBI agents searched the homes of at least six police officers in Windward and Central Oahu as part of an investigation into illegal cockfighting. They seized computers, files and other records.

Over a period from November 2004 to March 2005, the allegedly gambling operation involved cockfighting, craps and card games that generated gross revenues in excess of $2,000 in a single day, according to the indictment.

Charged with count one of the conspiracy were Douglas Gilman Sr. and sons Douglas Gilman Jr., Charles Gilman and William Gilman, all of Waialua; John Saguibo, a Waialua resident who operated the cockfights that offered cockfighting, craps and card games; and Micha Terragna, who has children from Brunn.

Also charged with obstructing law enforcement were Charles Gilman and Saguibo.

According to the indictment, Apo, an officer with the Windward crime reduction unit, told Charles Gilman on Dec. 16 that the gambling sergeant had told him that the police gambling detail would "hit Waianae tomorrow" -- ensuring that the Waialua cockfight would not be busted.

On Jan. 16, 2005, Apo notified Gilman to "shut down" the Waialua cockfight and that he got the tip "straight from the horse's mouth."

Later, on Jan. 30, Apo told Saguibo that the sergeant of the gambling detail had an officer parked across the street from the Waialua cockfights but that police would not be returning to the cockfights.

Then, on March 19, 2005, Apo contacted Miram to find out where police planed to "raid." Miram allegedly told him that police would "bang Waialua tomorrow." Apo also provided Miram with Saguibo's "push to talk" number.

According to the indictment, Brunn and Terragna allegedly received a total of $3,600 from Gilman between January and February 2005.

Brunn and Terragna could not be reached for comment.

Attempts to reach the Gilmans, Saguibo and Miram were unsuccessful.

Apo's attorney, assistant federal defender Alexander Silvert, said his client is expected to plead not guilty at his upcoming court appearance.

Silvert said he had not seen the indictment, but was notified later by federal prosecutors that they had issued a penal summons for his client to self-surrender.

"As a former police officer, of course my client is not going to run, he's not a danger and he's willing to surrender," Silvert said.

Apo, who spent eight years with the Police Department, voluntarily resigned after HPD began its own internal investigation, Silvert said.

According to city prosecutors, the senior Gilman has four felony convictions, including promoting gambling and owning an illegal business in 1994, and promoting gambling in 1993.

The Gilman Estate is one of the major landowners in Waialua and owns the only shopping center in the former sugar mill town.