Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney's Office investigator Christopher Moon is now at the center of a criminal case he would normally be helping to build. The 52-year-old was indicted Wednesday on a slate of felony charges, including obstruction, witness tampering and intimidation, along with an abuse-of-family count tied to a 2024 incident. The case, and the decision to send it outside the department for review, has put fresh heat on how the office polices its own.
According to KITV, the indictment charges Moon with two counts of obstruction, two counts of tampering with a witness, two counts of intimidating a witness, and one count of abuse of a family or household member. The station reports Moon was arrested in 2024 on an alleged abuse complaint that is now reflected in the indictment. Because he worked for the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the case was handed off to the Hawaiʻi Attorney General’s Office for independent investigation and prosecution.
Background reporting by Civil Beat notes that Moon has served as an Investigator III with the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office since 2019 and became the subject of an internal personnel investigation after the 2024 arrest. During that review, records and text messages raised questions about whether Moon impersonated a supervisor in an effort to influence the complainant, according to the outlet. The office ultimately closed the administrative probe and reinstated him, a move that drew criticism from outside legal experts who said the conduct described, if proven, would typically call for an independent criminal investigation, not just an in-house look.
What Comes Next
In a statement to KITV, Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said the office holds employees "to the highest standards of integrity and accountability" and that allegations involving staff members should be reviewed independently and handled transparently. Civil Beat quoted University of Hawaiʻi law professor Ken Lawson, saying, "Had this been any other defendant who had charges of domestic violence filed against him and then tried to tamper with a witness or intimidate a witness, they’d be locked up," capturing frustration over how the matter was handled earlier. With the indictment now filed and the Hawaiʻi Attorney General's Office taking over, the case will move through the courts outside the Honolulu prosecutor’s office to avoid conflicts, and any testimony Moon gives in future cases could trigger tough questions about his credibility.
Community advocates and defense attorneys say the prosecution highlights what happens when the credibility of law enforcement comes under the microscope, and they are watching closely as the Attorney General's team proceeds. Moon is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and upcoming court hearings will determine whether prosecutors can prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
