A former Maui liquor control officer claims in a lawsuit against the county that he was fired for reporting that several supervisors received free food and drinks from various establishments and had sexual contact with hostess bar employees.
The Maui County Corporation Counsel’s Office insists the claims are without merit and that the inspector was fired for misconduct.
In a suit filed Oct. 12 in Circuit Court, Justin D. Dobbs says he was at a Wailuku hostess bar where liquor control field supervisor Harry Matsuura Sr. received free food and drinks and several hostesses grabbed his buttocks and hugged and kissed him.
Dobbs said Liquor Control Commission Chairman Robert Tanaka was also present and that several hostesses sat on his lap while he was eating and drinking.
The lawsuit said liquor control department employees also received gifts.
"Owners/managers would deliver gifts of food including sushi rolls, pastries, doughnuts on a weekly basis to the Department of Liquor Control’s front office," the suit says. "All of the employees of the Department of Liquor Control Enforcement Division and Administration Division would eat these gifts."
The county Board of Ethics prohibits county employees from accepting gifts, directly or indirectly, if it can be inferred that the gift is intended to influence or reward them for any official action.
Named as defendants in the suit are Maui County, Liquor Control Department Director Franklyn Silva, Matsuura, field supervisor James Lloy and Chief Enforcement Officer Bill Pacheco.
Dobbs alleges that Lloy ate and drank for free on a weekly basis at a resort hotel employee cafeteria, concierge room and restaurant in the presence of department trainees.
Lloy and Matsuura ate and drank free on a weekly basis at different restaurants and bars in Wailuku, according to the suit.
The suit names four other places where inspectors were said to eat and drink for free.
The suit also claims that Silva hired his two sons to work in the Lahaina field office even though they did not have the required one year of law enforcement experience.
Dobbs said shortly after he reported the violations in April 2011, the defendants collectively retaliated, saying his work was not up to par, and he was fired in August 2011.
An Army aviation veteran and former deputy sheriff in Yuba County, Calif., Dobbs moved to Maui with his wife and three children and started work for the county on Oct. 16, 2010.
Dobbs alleges the defendants violated a number of his rights, including the state’s Whistleblower Protection Act, and caused emotional stress to him.
County lawyers say Dobbs abandoned his union grievance that sought reinstatement to his job.
Silva, Pacheco, Matsuura, Lloy and Tanaka declined a request for comments made by telephone to the county Liquor Control Department.
