What began as a routine lockup in Hilo has now put two Hawaiʻi County police officers on the other side of the courtroom. Two Hilo-based Hawaiʻi Police Department officers pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Hilo Circuit Court to criminal charges that accuse them of tampering with evidence and making false statements about an allegedly warrantless search of an arrestee’s bag in May 2023.
The defendants, Officer Blane K. Kenolio and Officer Noah Serrao, were arrested this week after a state indictment and were released on their own recognizance. A jury trial is set for June 8.
Charges And Allegations
According to the Hawaiʻi Police Department, Serrao faces a felony count of perjury and misdemeanor counts of false swearing and tampering with a government record. Kenolio is charged with tampering with physical evidence. The department’s release says the allegations grow out of separate searches of an arrestee’s belongings in late May 2023 and that the criminal investigation was turned over to the state Attorney General’s office.
What Prosecutors Allege
Court documents reviewed by Big Island Now state that officers searched a zippered Louis Vuitton bag that had been brought into the Hilo cellblock, and that Serrao later told supervisors and a judge the bag contained methamphetamine and a glass pipe. The charging papers further allege that Kenolio intentionally altered or concealed the bag’s contents in order to impair the evidence in a pending proceeding.
Department Discipline And Timeline
The Hawaiʻi Police Department says an internal administrative investigation wrapped up in April 2024 with suspensions: 50 days for Serrao and 24 days for Kenolio. Both officers were listed in the department’s 2024 legislative misconduct report. The county first handled the administrative review, then the matter was sent to the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division for criminal review.
Court Process And Next Steps
In court, both officers entered not-guilty pleas and were released on supervised release. During the hearing, Serrao was ordered to surrender any firearms because he faces a felony count, while Kenolio was not subject to that restriction. Judge Henry Nakamoto set a jury trial for June 8, and both officers have been reassigned from patrol duties while the case plays out, according to Big Island Now.
Legal Implications
Under Hawaii law, perjury is a class C felony and class C felonies carry an ordinary maximum term of five years of imprisonment, as outlined in HRS 710-1060 and HRS 706-660 and summarized on Justia and Justia. Authorized fines for felony and misdemeanor classes are set out in state law, including HRS 706-640 as discussed in state court opinions. The charges in this case were filed by the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division, the unit that handles public-integrity prosecutions in Hawaii.
What To Watch
Pretrial motions will likely zero in on whether the alleged searches were constitutional and whether any evidence or testimony should be thrown out, rulings that could ripple into other prosecutions tied to the same arrests. Local outlets, including KITV, are covering the hearings and expected to post updates as new filings and court dates land on the calendar.
