The 38-year-old man awarded $12.5 million after he sued the city following injuries suffered in a 2021 police pursuit appeared in court Wednesday to face federal charges that he used a ghost gun while selling methamphetamine in Waianae.
It is the second time Jonaven Perkins-Sinapati was arrested on drug and gun charges this month.
Despite the criminal charges, there is no chance the city can recoup any of the $12.5 million awarded Perkins-Sinapati in the civil case.
“The City’s settlement agreements are generally not contingent upon future conduct but are intended to compensate plaintiffs for verifiable damages resulting from negligent acts of the City or its employees and/or to resolve cases in the best interests of the City,” according to a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser from Scott Humber, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s communications director. “The Perkins-Sinapati settlement agreement did not include a contingency provision for future criminal conduct.”
Perkins-Sinapati, a convicted felon with more than 40 arrests and citations, was charged by criminal complaint Saturday with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to federal court records.
A hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice’s motion to detain Perkins-Sinapati without bail until trial is scheduled for June 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader.
Among the reasons cited by the government that Perkins-Sinapati should be held without bail is that he is a danger to the community, a flight risk and “the alleged offenses were “committed on release pending felony trial,” according to the motion authored by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Eucker.
Perkins-Sinapati’s attorney, Michael Green, did not immediately return a Star- Advertiser request from comment.
A preliminary hearing on the federal charges is scheduled for Sept. 9 in Trader’s court.
On May 23, the Honolulu Police Department got an anonymous tip that Perkins-Sinapati was operating a black Jaguar sport utility vehicle and was wanted on an outstanding state warrant with a bail amount of $1 million, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Perkins-Sinapati was previously charged in state court May 7 with several firearm and ammunition offenses, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and second-degree reckless endangering.
He is scheduled for an arraignment and plea in that case on Monday at 8:30 a.m. At this time there is no court determination deferring one prosecution until resolution of the other.
On May 23, an HPD officer saw the black Jaguar SUV and witnessed a passenger throw a dark bag out of the window.
The officer recovered the bag and allegedly found 108 grams of methamphetamine.
In the bag, the officer also allegedly found a loaded, homemade 9mm pistol, “bearing no manufacturer number nor serial number,” 14 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, and four rounds of 40-caliber Smith and Wesson Hornady ammunition.
HPD pulled Perkins-Sinapati over at the intersection of Farrington Highway and Lualualei Homestead Road.
The officer saw ammunition in the cup holder of the Jaguar. HPD arrested him and his passenger on suspicion of multiple state gun charges.
A fanny pack found in the car allegedly had 48 grams of methamphetamine in it.
Perkins-Sinapati faces enhanced penalties if convicted in state court because he has prior felony convictions for car theft, robbery and promotion of a dangerous drug.
On May 4 at about 1:13 p.m., Perkins-Sinapati allegedly fired a gun in a residential area near Ewa Makai Middle School.
The city agreed to pay $12.5 million to Perkins-Sinapati, the driver of a car that crashed on Sept 12, 2021, in Makaha during a pursuit by Honolulu police officers who allegedly left the scene, only to return and pretend they were not involved in the pursuit.
Three Honolulu Police Department officers are awaiting trial for allegedly causing the high-speed chase and crash and covering it up.
Officers Joshua J.S. Nahulu, 37, Erik X.K. Smith, 25, and Jake R.T. Bartolome, 35, were fired by the department in February. A fourth officer, Robert G. Lewis III, whose age was not released, also faces criminal charges in connection with the crash and cover-up.
All four entered not-guilty pleas on March 23, 2023, and go to trial Oct. 7.
Correction: An earlier version of this story provided the incorrect trial date.
