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WAILUKU -- A Wailuku man was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine for his participation in an illegal sports betting operation.
Rodney Jarnesky, 64, was placed on four years' probation when he was sentenced Thursday.
He had pleaded no contest to first-degree gambling, with other charges dismissed in exchange for his plea.
His attorney, Wendy Hudson, asked for a shorter term of probation. She noted that police raided his gas station in 2015 and he and others weren't charged until 2018.
"Everybody talks about what a nice guy he is," she said. "He has a big heart."
Jarnesky was among 23 people arrested and charged with allegedly participating in the betting operation from Oct. 3 to Dec. 21, 2015.
Second Circuit Judge Peter Cahill said he set fines for defendants based on the amounts they were betting.
"You were betting a lot," he told Jarnesky. "If you're going to gamble, get on a plane even though right now you can't do that."
Deputy Prosecutor Mike Kagami agreed to allow the fine to be paid from $8,000 that was seized from Jarnesky. The rest of the money will be forfeited to the state, Kagami said.