Roddy Takao Tsunezumi, Extortion, Honolulu HI, 2014

HONOLULU – It was a brutal sentence for former Honolulu Police Department (HPD) officer Roddy Takao Tsunezumi, who has been handed 33 months in prison for his involvement in an extortion scheme against a local business. United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson delivered the verdict today after Tsunezumi admitted guilt in July 2014.

According to Florence T. Nakakuni, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii, Tsunezumi and his codefendant, Jeremy Javillo, attempted to extort $15,000 from a local Honolulu business owner. They threatened kidnapping and robbery if the owners didn’t hire a protection service offered by Javillo.

The scheme was set into motion when Tsunezumi, despite being an HPD officer, failed to investigate or refer a reported threat through proper police channels. Instead, he manipulated one of the business owners into meeting with his associate, Javillo, under false pretenses that Javillo could provide protection.

In a chilling twist, Tsunezumi orchestrated a series of anonymous threatening text messages to the business owners as leverage to coerce them into hiring the supposed security service. Both Tsunezumi and Javillo have now admitted their guilt, with Javillo’s sentencing scheduled for tomorrow.

This case has been an intensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson prosecuted it to a successful conclusion.

As the justice system once again delivers a heavy blow against corruption, Tsunezumi’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences faced by those who abuse their authority for personal gain.