46 year-old Kelli-Rae Souza of Papaikou was arrested and charged with offenses related to the unauthorized use of an elderly Honoka‘a man’s credit cards.

Police reports allege that between June 13 to September 14, 2023 Souza conducted numerous unauthorized transactions with a total of over $4,000.

Following her arrest, Souza was released from custody after posting $18,500.00 bail. She is scheduled to make her initial Hamakua District Court appearance on January 23.

As the Complaint alleges, Souza was charged with ten offenses including Theft in the First Degree (exert unauthorized control over the property of another, who is over the age of sixty, and the value of that property exceeded $750), Theft in the Second Degree (exert unauthorized control over the property of another, who is over the age of sixty, and the value of that property exceeded $250), Identity Theft in the First Degree, Identity Theft in the Second Degree, two counts of Unauthorized Possession of Confidential Personal Information, and four counts of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card. Identity Theft in the First Degree is a class A felony punishable by a twenty-year prison term. Theft in the First Degree is a class B felony offense punishable by either a ten-year prison term or four years probation and up to eighteen months in jail.

The charges are merely allegations and the Defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case was initiated by Officer Kimo Veincent, Hamakua of HPD’s North Hilo Patrol while the felony investigation was led by Detective Amy Omaya of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Heipua Ah Loy.

 

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney