10 MOST WANTED
The 2008 MidWeek/ CrimeStoppers Most Wanted cover story is a tale of what happens when you smoke crystal methampheta-mine - ice - and where it
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The 2008 MidWeek/ CrimeStoppers Most Wanted cover story is a tale of what happens when you smoke
crystal methampheta-mine - ice - and where it leads: first to a really crummy life and then to prison.
“We chose these 10 because we wanted to show the effect that ice is having, both on individuals and on the community,” says Honolulu Police Department Sgt. Kim Buffet, CrimeStoppers coordinator.
These are all repeat offenders, and Buffet says their appearance in police mug shots over the years shows a steady physical decline. “I’m shocked at how some of them look today,” she says.
Indeed, the composite picture painted by these 10 is not a pretty one. There is no glamour in meth, only a terrible, gripping addiction that leads sooner or later to other desperate criminal activity to support that habit.
“I wish I knew why people even start smoking ice,” Buffet says. “It’s the most addictive drug out there. It’s made of nothing but chemicals, and you smoke it once and get hooked.”
And it’s not just the addiction - studies have shown that meth permanently alters the structure of the human brain. To smoke meth is to give yourself a brain injury.
If it were only these lives that were ruined, that would be a sad enough story. But there is much more going on here. For those who would argue that drugs are a “victimless crime,” Buffet would argue otherwise.
“Let’s look at the big picture,” she says. “Look at their arrest records and you see that a lot of them are caught for traffic violations, often in a stolen car. They’re either out joy-riding or they’ll sell the parts to get money to buy more drugs.”
Many car burglaries also are committed by meth heads.
“They break into cars hoping to find something of value to sell,” Buffet says. “In one case, a guy broke into a car because he saw a bottle of water in the back seat!
“Another one we see a lot of is purse-snatching. Not only do you lose whatever money you’re carrying, but now these guys have all your ID, your credit cards, and they start running up purchases to buy more things to sell for cash.”
She adds that crimes do not need to be committed for a community to suffer:
“In one case, neighbors of Jerald Lee in Waimanalo made repeated calls about drug trafficking and dangerous-looking people in the neighborhood. When police officers executed a search warrant, they found drugs as well as a stolen Department of Education computer. Rhonda Kaleohi was running a meth lab in Waianae, so her neighbors were jeopordized because fires are fairly common in meth labs.”
Perhaps the most disturbing stories are those involving adults attacking their parents for money, of which several have been detailed in recent months by newspaper police reports.
“These people are not working - maybe they lost their job - and are living at home,” explains Buffet. “The parents are practically held hostage. They’re embarrassed and don’t want to tell friends, much less call the police on their own kids. But when the kid demands money for gas or whatever, and the parent refuses, they can get violent.”
Then there is the greater social cost: “When these guys shoplift from a store, the cost gets passed on to the consumer with higher prices. When they miss work, the employer pays. When they’re injured on the job because they’re high, who pays for worker’s comp? We all do.”
MidWeek began publishing CrimeStoppers’ Most Wanted list in 1995, and since then tips from MidWeek readers have resulted in about an 80 percent arrest rate. We’re hoping for a similar, or better, result this year.
If you know the whereabouts of any of these criminals, or if you see them, do not approach or try to apprehend them. Consider them dangerous and call CrimeStoppers’ anonymous hotline, 955-8300, or *CRIME on your cell phone.
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Walter Bernard
Aka: Walter F. Bernard; Walter Barnard; Walter F. Barnar
Hawaiian male, 21, 5-foot-6, 140 pounds, black hair, brown eyes
On Nov. 5, 2006, narcotic officers working undercover purchased two Ziplock plastic packets containing crystal methamphetamine from a male identified as Walter Bernard. He was arrested for methampheta-mine trafficking.
Bernard is wanted for a $20,000 warrant for failure to appear for trial at Circuit Court on Sept. 7, 2007, for the charges of methamphetamine trafficking in the second degree.
Bernard frequents Waianae and Makaha.
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Brenda L. Perez
Aka: Aurora; Brenda C. Perez; Brenda Lee Perez
Caucasian female, 47, 5-foot-1, 125 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes
On Oct. 18, 2004, police observed Brenda L. Perez crouching in a stairway attempting to conceal a pipe used for smoking illegal drugs. While speaking to Perez, a pipe was observed protruding from a piece of cloth that she was carrying. Perez was arrested for the offense of promoting a dangerous drug and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Perez is wanted for a $11,000 probation revocation warrant issued for the charges of promoting a dangerous drug and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Perez has 29 convictions for drug paraphernalia, Promoting a dangerous drug, theft, criminal property damage, contempt of court, driving without a license, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, parole violation and probation revocation.
Perez frequents the downtown area.
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Brian Keith D. Francisco
Aka: Brian K. Francisco
Filipino male, 25, 5-foot-5, 138 pounds, black hair, brown eyes
On July 13, 2002, Francisco was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle. While in police custody, Francisco was searched and was found in possession of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine.
Francisco is wanted for two $15,000 warrants for probation revocation on the charge of promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree and a deferred acceptance revocation for the charges of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Francisco has one conviction for promoting a dangerous drug.
Francisco frequents Waipahu and Kalihi.
Johnny Logoua Fruean
Aka: John Fruean; John Fruean Jr.; John Logoua; Johnny Fruean
Samoan male, 30, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, black hair, brown eyes
On Aug. 13, 2006, Fruean was
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