The illegal aerials conviction of Gilchrist Fernandez, 35, a former Oahu Community Corrections Center guard, was a rare but timely bust as officials struggle to crack down on illegal fireworks.

His “flagrant criminal conduct,” as the state attorney general called it, included Fernandez’s audacity at having nearly 95 pounds of the illegal explosives sent via the postal service to OCCC from a vendor in Las Vegas. Fernandez pleaded guilty — so instead of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, he’ll pay a $5,000 fine and faces up to 90 days in prison and four years of probation when sentenced June 18.