Former isle man found dead in home

A memorial was held yesterday in Kent, Wash., for Seth G. Frankel, a former Hawaii resident who was found dead in the living room of his home in Auburn, Wash., on Saturday.

According to the King County Medical Examiner's Office, Frankel's cause of death was “;incised wounds”; on his neck and hand. The manner of death was classified as a homicide.

At 11:57 a.m. Saturday, police said, a neighbor went to check on Frankel, a 1987 alumnus of Punahou School, at his home. Police said his neighbor reported that Frankel's girlfriend was concerned after she could not get in touch with him.

The neighbor looked through his window and saw Frankel lying on his side on the floor in the living room.

Police said Frankel did not respond to the neighbor. Officers arrived and entered the home to investigate.

It was discovered that Frankel was dead with injuries not consistent with a natural death, according to a news release. The medical examiner's office determined Frankel died Friday night. He has two daughters.

Further details were not available.

Convict pleads guilty to sex charges

A man who already has state and federal convictions for being a pimp has pleaded guilty in federal court to sex-trafficking charges involving three women and a 16-year-old girl.

Rodney D. King faces 25 years in prison when a federal judge sentences him in September, according to the terms of his plea agreement.

King is charged with selling prostitutes online through Craigslist from April 2006 to December 2007. For much of 2007 he ran his operation from a rental space above a business near Honolulu Airport, according to state and federal court records.

King's co-defendant, Sharon-Mae Nishimura, pleaded guilty in September to sex-trafficking charges involving two of the three women, the 16-year-old girl and another 16-year-old girl.

Federal authorities said Nishimura was King's secretary and accounts coordinator. She also told them she worked for King as a prostitute.

A federal judge is scheduled to sentence her in July.

Ex-banker sentenced on tax counts

A state district judge ordered a former bank executive to pay restitution and perform community service for failing to pay his taxes, the state Attorney General's Office said.

Carl E. Cunningham pleaded guilty in March to failing to file tax returns from 2004 through 2007.

A judge granted Cunningham's request to defer his guilty plea and ordered that Cunningham pay $17,774 in restitution in payments of $120 per month. Cunningham will also be required to perform 200 hours of community service.

Roadwork to close 2 lanes on H-1

Two right lanes on the H-1 freeway eastbound from the Makakilo Interchange to Kualakai Parkway will be closed tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for road paving, the state Department of Transportation announced. All onramps and offramps will remain open.

Motorists are asked to use caution when driving through the area and allow for extra travel time.