A 46-year-old Waianae man accused of coordinating chicken fights, running illegal game rooms and selling methamphetamine will be detained before trial, a U.S. magistrate judge ruled Wednesday as prosecutors continue to argue that he presents a danger to the community.
Edward Caspino’s attorney, however, said photo and video evidence presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wes Reber Porter do not show what prosecutors claim.
Caspino was arrested Nov. 14 with his brother, William, 48; their mother, Lavern Joseph, 71; and Caspino’s wife, Kerilyn Keliinoi-Caspino, 31. They were indicted by a federal grand jury Oct. 26 and pleaded not guilty Nov. 15. Howard Unebasami, 80, of Waianae and Fauston Aragon Jr., 65, of Pearl City were also indicted and entered not-guilty pleas Nov. 17.
All six are charged with conspiracy and the operation of an illegal gambling business. The indictment’s third count charges Edward Caspino with the operation of illegal game rooms.
The allegations against Caspino, whom federal prosecutors name as the leader of the “Westside” gang, are the product of a joint investigation by the DEA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.
“Our office continues to work with our local and state partners to investigate and prosecute matters that are criminal under federal law, which includes illegal gambling. Whether the illegal gambling involves game rooms, chicken fighting, or other games of chance, we will investigate, and where warranted, we will prosecute,” U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in a statement.
Attorney William A. Harrison told the Star- Advertiser in an interview that photos submitted in support of the U.S. Department of Justice’s motion to detain Caspino purportedly showed Caspino and others firing guns at targets, toting firearms in a vehicle, and Caspino beating another man. But that evidence is not what the government makes it out to be, Harrison said.
He said Caspino is not in a May 5, 2021, photo that shows three men standing and aiming firearms at targets while two other men assist. Harrison said he tracked down every person in the photo, none of them are Caspino, one of them is a certified firearms instructor teaching a licensing course, and the guns were firing rubber bullets.
A March 11, 2021, still photograph from “security camera footage from Caspino’s prior residence on Paakea Street,” where Caspino kicks an unidentified man in the head while the man is on the ground, was a dispute between roommates, Harrison said, noting that the man in the photo was in court Friday ready to testify on Caspino’s behalf. Caspino and the man in the photo still live together, Harrison said.
Another image of Caspino and his wife in a car on Sept. 6, 2020, with men who appear to be carrying guns, was taken after Caspino picked up the men, who are hunters, and gave them a ride, according to Harrison. Caspino did not have a firearm, Harrison said.
The government also accused Caspino of offering to turn in automatic weapons in exchange for prosecutorial consideration and threatening a confidential informant who set him up.
“That was really wrong for the government (to do that). If he wanted to cooperate he can’t do it now, they put him out there already,” said Harrison. “File it under seal if they have that kind of information.”
Harrison said the magistrate judge agreed with his concerns but ultimately followed the recommendations of a federal pretrial report.
Reber Porter did leave open the opportunity for the defense to come up with other conditions, Harrison said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case for the government.
In his motion to detain Caspino without bail, he noted that federal agents used a court-authorized wire interception and recorded “tens of calls between Caspino and others” in which Caspino directed the activities of the undisclosed number of game rooms and the chicken fighting operation at 87-881 Iliili Road in Waianae.
Caspino and his alleged co-conspirators “conducted, managed, supervised, directed and owned” an illegal chicken-fighting operation located at the property where Caspino lived, prosecutors contend.
“Caspino is also charged with operating a number of illegal game rooms in the Waianae area. Such game rooms are a hotbed for violence,” wrote Albanese, who mentioned news stories about shootings at chicken fights and illegal game rooms on Oahu this year.
Some of the images from evidence gathered by federal agents “appears to be video obtained from a game room surveillance camera of a robbery and shooting” on Aug. 25, 2021, when three suspects robbed a Keeaumoku Street betting parlor and three employees were shot.
“They make my guy out to be the worst guy on the West Side. Everything that goes on, on the West Side they are blaming it on my client,” said Harrison. “They are claiming my guy is dangerous … that he is a flight risk and a danger … they had a case that they made in 2021, according to them. If he’s such a danger … arrest him (in 2021) clearly … he’s not a danger.”
Caspino has eight felonies in his criminal records, no verifiable employment history, and access to cash, as evidenced by the seizure of more than $500,000 from bank safe deposit boxes and a private residence, Albanese noted in his motion.
