Man indicted for credit union robbery

A Hilo grand jury indicted a 40-year-old former Honomu man for the armed robbery of a credit union in Pepeekeo almost three years ago.

The three-count indictment dated April 27 charges Kris Randall Villasista with first-degree robbery, second-degree theft and first-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly robbing Hamakua Coast Community Federal Credit Union in the early afternoon of May 30, 2013.

An islandwide manhunt for Villasista ensued, and he turned himself in at the Kona police station that evening. He was released pending further investigation two days later.

A police spokeswoman said $6,812 was taken in the credit union heist. Police previously said Villasista was masked and brandished what appeared to be a handgun during the robbery.

The indictment says Villasista was “armed with a dangerous instrument … and threatened the imminent use of force against the persons of two Hamakua Coast Community Federal Credit Union tellers” with intent to steal money from the financial institution.

In a court hearing April 28 to issue an arrest warrant, Deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville asked Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura to set bail for Villasista at $70,000.

“He has a long criminal history,” Damerville told the judge. “He’s currently … serving a long prison term for multiple robberies. This one apparently happened before the others.”

“This is significantly high bail,” the judge said.

“It’s high bail, but he has the criminal history to justify high bail, judge,” the prosecutor replied.

Nakamura set bail at $45,000.

First-degree robbery, the most serious crime alleged, is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The other charges are Class C felonies punishable by up to five years behind bars.

Villasista is incarcerated at Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona after being sentenced to 10 years by Nakamura in March 2015 on two counts each of attempted second-degree robbery and auto theft, plus single counts of promoting a dangerous drug and drug paraphernalia.

His scheduled release date, according to the state Department of Public Safety website, is July 28, 2023. In return for his guilty pleas on the robbery and drug charges and no-contest pleas to auto theft, the state reduced the robbery charges from first to second degree.

At that time, Villasista told the judge his use of crystal methamphetamine “made me do all the wrong decisions.” He said he became a Christian during the 20 months he spent behind bars prior to being sentenced.

According to court documents, a cashier at the 76 gas station at the corner of Kaumana Drive and Ainako Avenue in Hilo told police that at about 11:45 a.m. July 31, 2013, a man completely covered in an orange long-sleeve hooded jacket and jeans with brown boots waved a black handgun at the cash register and said “come on, come on.”

The cashier refused to give the man money, and he drove off in a white Suzuki with no license plates.

About 20 minutes later, an employee of Atlas Recycling Center on Waianuenue Avenue told police a man bearing the same description met him at the back door holding what appeared to be a black handgun and said, “Give me your money,” documents state.

The recycling employee also refused, and the man fled in a white Suzuki with no license plates.

Villasista was later arrested at his home. The Suzuki was stolen, and the alleged handgun turned out to be a stick covered with black tape.

Police Lt. Greg Esteban of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said the indictment on the new charges came a month before the statute of limitations would have expired on the offenses. He praised the work of Detective Joel Field, who, according to Esteban, worked with prosecutors to ensure the case didn’t fall by the wayside.

“I give him a lot of credit for his perseverance in staying on top of the case, and I’m glad we finally got the case resolved,” Esteban said.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.