WAILUKU - Seven days after he was placed on probation in a felony case, a Wailuku man committed another crime by forging a $4,800 check.
"That is so bold," 2nd Circuit Judge Richard Bissen said Wednesday as he sentenced Tijen Jibok. "You thought you could just walk out of a courtroom and a week later commit another felony."
Bissen ordered a six-month jail term as part of five years' probation for Jibok, who had 50 days of jail left to serve.
The 31-year-old had pleaded no contest to second-degree forgery and second-degree theft.
Jibok wrote and cashed the check June 10 after obtaining someone's credit card checks, said Deputy Prosecutor Mark Simonds.
Referring to Jibok's prior convictions for unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and abuse, Deputy Public Defender Jim Rouse said Jibok had complied with all court requirements except for one: that he commit no new crimes.
Asked what he did with the $4,800, Jibok said he sent it to his sister in the Marshall Islands.
While the credit company wasn't asking for restitution, Bissen ordered Jibok to pay a $4,800 fine.
"You're going to pay back the money you stole even though you're not going to pay it back to the victim," Bissen told Jibok. "You're not going to make out."
In other 2nd Circuit Court sentencings:
* Rochelle Rauch, 30, of Pukalani, was given a chance to keep welfare fraud and theft convictions off her record if she performs 300 hours of community service and follows other court requirements for the next five years.
Rauch had pleaded no contest to welfare fraud, first-degree theft and medical assistance fraud covering the periods of January to March 2006 and May 2006 to June 2007.
"It didn't appear to be out of need but more out of greed," Bissen said Friday, noting that Rauch had already repaid the $33,754 she illegally received.
* Destini Tinder, 21, of Haiku, was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and repay $7,080 to the state Department of Human Services in a welfare fraud case.
The mother of three was given a chance to keep convictions for welfare fraud, medical assistance fraud and second-degree theft off her record if she complies with court requirements for five years.
She had pleaded no contest to the charges for public assistance she received from August 2007 to June 2008.
Deputy Prosecutor Mark Simonds said Tinder didn't report that her boyfriend was living in the household at the time.
Tinder, who has no prior criminal record, has strong support from friends and family, said Deputy Public Defender Danielle Sears.
Bissen imposed the sentence Wednesday.
* A 36-year-old Kahului woman was ordered to pay $1,348 in restitution and perform 200 hours of community service for thefts from Sears while she was employed there last August and September.
Kimberly Kaauwai was given a chance to keep three second-degree theft convictions off her record if she stays out of trouble for five years. According to court records, Kaauwai stole the money from night deposits on three dates.
"She was experiencing some financial difficulty," said Deputy Public Defender Shelly Miyashiro. "The money did go toward rent and other necessities."
Kaauwai was ordered not to enter the Sears store at Queen Ka'ahumanu Center as part of her sentence imposed Tuesday by Judge Joseph Cardoza.
* A five-year prison term was ordered for a 28-year-old Wailuku woman who pleaded no contest Jan. 28 to five reduced charges of second-degree forgery and second-degree theft.
Noralyn Apolo was charged after she presented five fake money orders for $410 each at Pacific Fish Market in Kahului in September 2007, according to court records. She showed up at the business on Hoohana Street twice, buying goods and receiving change.
Apolo will serve the term at the same time as five-year prison terms imposed in two previous theft cases. Court records show she had been enrolled in the Maui Drug Court program of treatment and supervision from October 2007 until she was terminated from participation last September.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
