Waianae Man Charged with Extortion, Attempting to Tamper with a Witness, and Making False Statements

FLORENCE NAKAKUNI, United States Attorney of District of Hawaii; FRANK MONTOYA, JR., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Honolulu Division; and LOUIS M. KEALOHA, Chief of the Honolulu Police Department, today made the following announcement:

Yesterday (2/17/2011), a federal grand jury indicted CARLTON S. NISHIMURA, age 55, of Waianae, Hawaii, on charges of extortion, attempting to tamper with a witness, and making false statements.

According to the three-count indictment which was unsealed today, Nishimura, while employed as a captain of the Honolulu Police Department, conspired with another individual to obtain money from an operator of an illegal game room in the City and County of Honolulu, in exchange for the performance and non-performance of official police acts by Nishimura from April 2004 to March 2006. Count two of the indictment charges Nishimura with attempting to tamper with a witness in February 2009 by attempting to corruptly persuade the witness to make false and misleading statements to FBI agents. Count three charges Nishimura with making false statements to FBI agents in connection with the investigation.

Nishimura, currently a major of the Honolulu Police Department, voluntarily surrendered to federal authorities this morning without incident and appeared in the United States District Court before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang for an initial appearance this afternoon. Nishimura pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released today on conditions set by the Magistrate Judge.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations Division, with the cooperation of the Honolulu Police Department. The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Cushman and Thomas Muehleck.

Members of the public are reminded that a criminal indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which time the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.