Back to Hawaii News index

Posted: Friday, March 8th, 2013 9:05 AM HST

Former police officer convicted of assault

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — A former Pearl Harbor base police officer has pleaded guilty to felony assault as part of a plea deal stemming from a 1992 case. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports State Circuit Judge Michael Wilson on Thursday sentenced 64-year-old Jenaro Torresto to 10 years in prison and ordered him to spend at least five years in custody. Torresto was charged in the May 1992 disappearance of 19-year-old Ruben Gallegos, who cashed checks at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base Exchange. Gallegos was last seen being escorted from his cashier's cage by Torres. A state jury in 2007 convicted Torresto of Gallego's murder. The conviction was overturned by the Hawaii Supreme Court. State Attorney General David Louie says the plea agreement was reasonable because three witnesses in the case have died.