(BIVN) – A Puna man has been sentenced to a ten-year prison term following his arrest and guilty plea in connection with a 2022 car crash involving a stolen Chevy Camaro. 

51 year-old John Rapozo – aka “Bozo” Rapozo – faced charges related to the theft of a Chevy Camaro, possession of methamphetamine, and prohibited possession of an unserialized Glock style handgun with a high-capacity magazine. 

Rapozo, who had 38 prior felony convictions at the time of his April 2022 arrest, appeared in Hilo Circuit Court for his sentencing hearing earlier this month. 

According to the office of Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen:

On July 1, 2024, Rapozo entered a “Guilty” plea to the offenses of Theft in the First Degree (theft of a motor vehicle, a Chevrolet Camaro), Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Second Degree (possess more than one-eighth of an ounce of methamphetamine), and Ownership or Possession of a Firearm Prohibited.

On April 28, 2022, Rapozo, was apprehended by police after fleeing on foot from the scene of a traffic collision involving the Camaro, which was originally stolen from the Hertz Car Rental parking lot in Kona earlier that month. Following the execution of a search warrant upon Rapozo’s backpack, officers recovered over six grams of methamphetamine and a loaded, unserialized 9mm Glock style handgun with a high-capacity magazine.

Theft in the First Degree, Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Second Degree, and Ownership or Possession of a Firearm Prohibited are all class B felony offenses which carry a maximum penalty of a ten-year prison term.

The investigation was led by Detective Blaine Morishita, Area I Criminal Investigation Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elyssa Correia Keltner.