Illegal cockfighting ringleader sentenced to 14 years in prison

By Victoria Cuba

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — A man convicted of leading an illegal cockfighting operation in West Oahu will now face 14 years in federal prison.

A federal judge sentenced Edward Caspino, 47, on Friday, April 11, to 168-months in prison, and five years supervised release right after. Caspino is convicted of distributing methamphetamine and operating an illegal gambling business in Waianae.

He’s also sentenced to forfeit $600,00 in cash seized by investigators in this case, and the 10-acre property used to host cockfights.

Court documents show Caspino distributed a total three pounds of methamphetamine on three occasions in July 2021. He was also found guilty of organizing and holding large scale chicken fights between February 2021 to March 2023. The U.S. Attorney’s office says hundreds of spectators and participants would bet on these fights.

“Today’s lengthy sentence demonstrates that federal authorities will work together to put behind bars those responsible for illegal gambling operations and the community violence and drug trafficking tied to them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Caspino’s 168-month sentence stands as a stark warning: running an illegal gambling business in Hawaii carries serious and lasting consequences under federal law.”

Caspino is the first of six illegal gambling business conspirators to be sentenced. William Caspino, Lavern Joseph, Kerilyn Caspino and Fausto Aragon, Jr. pled guilty to illegal gambling conspiracy charges. A jury convicted Howard Unebasami of conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business after a four-day trial in March.

The crack down on illegal cockfighting is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. The organization works to identify, disrupt and dismantle high-level criminal organizations.

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