The criminal trial of five people accused of running an illegal gambling operation across from Waialua Elementary School that included cockfighting, dice and card games began yesterday in federal court.

Former Police Sergeant and wife go to trial for extortion

 

They are charged with extorting money from a Waialua drug dealer.

 

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  Former Honolulu police Sgt. Kevin Brunn; his wife, Micha Terragna; Douglas Gilman Sr.; and his sons Douglas Jr. and William are charged with conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling operation. Brunn and Terragna are also charged with extortion, conspiracy to interfere with interstate and foreign commerce through extortion, and conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement.

“;This case is all about greed,”; said Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Muehleck.

He said Brunn and Terragna extorted another defendant, Charles Gilman, for proceeds from the gambling operation by threatening to shut down the operation and put him behind bars on drug charges. Charles Gilman is serving a 140-month prison term after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement.

Brunn's lawyer, Richard Wurdeman, said Brunn is facing charges because John Saguibo, another defendant who has pleaded guilty, manipulated federal prosecutors and Gilman.

“;This is a case about a man who has been wrongly charged by the government,”; he said.

Brunn was not involved in the gambling operation and did not receive any money from Gilman, Wurdeman said.

Lawyer Anthony Yusi said client Terragna was not involved in the gambling operation, either, and any money she received from Gilman was because they were close friends and because Gilman is her son's godfather.

He said Saguibo believed he had a special relationship with HPD and used it to take advantage of Gilman.

“;If this case is about greed, it's about the greed of John Saguibo,”; Yusi said.

Wurdeman said Brunn introduced Saguibo, his cousin, to an officer in HPD's Criminal Intelligence Unit who was looking for a confidential informant for the Waialua gambling operation.

HPD Narcotics/Vice Commander Maj. Clayton Kau testified the department has no record that Saguibo was an informant.

Saguibo is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement.

Gilman and Saguibo pleaded guilty and made deals with the government to avoid life prison terms in separate drug cases, Yusi said.

The lawyers for Douglas Sr., Douglas Jr. and William Gilman said Saguibo and Charles Gilman ran the gambling operation without them.

Two other former police officers, Glenn Miram and Bryson Apo, pleaded guilty to charges that they provided advance warning of raids by HPD's gambling detail. Apo is serving an 18-month prison term. Miram is awaiting sentencing.