FDC Honolulu Inmate Attacks Guards, Faces Decades

Honolulu, HI – David Akui-Cabanilla, III, 36, has admitted to a savage assault on multiple correctional officers at the Federal Detention Center, turning a secure housing unit into a battleground. Akui-Cabanilla, already facing federal firearms charges as a convicted felon, constructed makeshift weapons inside the facility before launching the unprovoked attacks on March 23, 2020.

According to court documents, Akui-Cabanilla ambushed a lone correctional officer within his housing unit, striking him in the head with a metal padlock secured inside a tube sock. He then stole the officer’s keys and pepper spray, using the stolen irritant to indiscriminately spray multiple responding officers as he attempted to breach the unit’s perimeter. A second officer was brutally punched in the head and face, collapsing to the floor.

The first officer struck was found unconscious and bleeding, diagnosed with a concussion and other serious injuries. He spent five days hospitalized at Queens Medical Center and underwent two weeks of physical therapy before being cleared to return to duty. The punched officer also required emergency medical attention and months of ongoing physical therapy to recover from his injuries. The feds say Akui-Cabanilla showed no remorse.

Federal prosecutors detailed the crude weaponry Akui-Cabanilla crafted: a weighted sock containing a padlock and a sharpened razor blade fashioned into a “shiv” with a bedsheet handle. These improvised weapons, combined with Akui-Cabanilla’s violent outburst, created a dangerous and chaotic situation for the correctional staff. The incident underscores the ever-present dangers faced by those working inside correctional facilities.

Akui-Cabanilla pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a federal officer resulting in bodily injury. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Court Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi has scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2022. Sources close to the investigation indicate the feds will seek the maximum penalty.

“This case highlights the very real threats faced by correctional officers every single day,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors added that her office will vigorously prosecute those who attack federal employees. This plea isn’t just about one violent inmate; it’s a warning that attacks on law enforcement will be met with the full force of federal prosecution. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case through sentencing and beyond.”