A 49-year-old Pahoa woman on supervised release in a burglary, theft, identity theft drug and habitual property crime case is accused of breaking into a car at a Hilo supermarket and stealing items from the vehicle.
According to court documents filed by police, a Pahoa man identified Bella Rita Carvalho as the woman he saw getting out of his car in the KTA Super Stores Puainako parking lot shortly after noon March 1. The man told police the woman had a recyclable shopping bag belonging to him containing several items that also were his.
The man confronted Carvalho and got his belongings back, documents state. Carvalho reportedly fled before police arrived and the victim selected her image from a photographic lineup.
Carvalho was arrested Wednesday, charged with unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and fourth-degree theft.
During Carvalho’s initial court appearance Friday, Deputy Public Defender Jiro Yuda asked Hilo District Judge Henry Nakamoto to grant his client supervised release or to reduce her $11,000 bail, while Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Shiigi requested Carvalho’s bail be maintained at the present amount.
“I understand the defendant has been granted supervised release in circuit court for multiple felony charges. She also has multiple felony convictions,” Shiigi said. He also noted Carvalho was sentenced to 30 days in jail for a contempt of court conviction last year.
Nakamoto maintained Carvalho’s bail and scheduled a preliminary hearing for 2 p.m. Monday.
Carvalho also appeared Friday in Hilo Circuit Court on the matter referred to by Shiigi. She’s charged with 10 counts of forgery plus burglary, theft, promoting a harmful drug, four counts of unauthorized possession of confidential information, and habitual property crime, a new law passed during last year’s legislative session. She was to have changed her not guilty plea in that case. However, defense attorneys asked for a postponement and Judge Greg Nakamura ordered her to return at 8:30 a.m. April 26.
Carvalho’s original bail in that case, a burglary in which power tools, jewelry, household items, personal documents and blank checks were taken from a home in Hawaiian Paradise Park, was $195,000. She was freed on supervised release without bail on Dec. 16, according to court records.
Carvalho has felony convictions dating back to 1993, with charges including burglary, forgery, theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, promoting a dangerous drug, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and escape.
The burglary charge she’s facing is a Class B felony carrying a possible 10-year prison term upon conviction, while unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and habitual property crime are each Class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.
“Habitual property crime perpetrator” is defined in the law as having three convictions for property crimes in the five years prior to the current offense or offenses, regardless of whether those property crimes are felonies, misdemeanors or petty misdemeanors.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
