26 year-old Tearon Teashell aka “TT” Pacheco-Fernandez of Volcano, who had no prior felony convictions, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a series of crimes that occurred in 2019 and 2020. The Court also ordered that Pacheco-Fernandez serve a mandatory minimum of 3 years and 4 months without the possibility of parole.

In a press release Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said, “Here, a prison term is the only just result and appropriate punishment to reflect the seriousness of these offenses, promote respect for the law, deter future criminal conduct, and protect our community.  Despite her age and not having any prior felony convictions, Defendant was involved in a brazen crime spree of offenses, including: two robberies, where she utilized pepper spray and a 12 gauge shotgun; a residential burglary; and a criminal property damage case, where she drove a Toyota Tacoma into two cars while fleeing from police in a crowded Hilo parking lot.”

On November 3, 2021, Pacheco-Fernandez, entered “Guilty” pleas to two charges of Robbery in the Second Degree, and a single count each of Ownership Prohibited, Firearm on Highway, and Burglary in the First Degree, in relation to two separate March 6, 2020 robbery incidents at a Target and Burger King located on E. Makaala Street in Hilo and a residential burglary in Panaewa.  She also plead “No Contest” to two charges of Criminal Property Damage in the First Degree, Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, and Resisting an Order to Stop a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree, in relation to a resist order to stop incident which occurred on November 27, 2019 in the KTA parking lot on Puainako Street in Hilo and Accomplice to Theft in the Third Degree, in relation to a theft from a Puna residence which occurred between May 19 and May 20, 2019.

The investigations were initiated by Puna, South Hilo, and South Kohala Patrols and the arrest and follow up investigation was handled by the Area I Criminal Investigation Section. The case was prosecuted by Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen.

Photo credit: HPD