(BIVN) – A second Hawaiʻi Police Department officer accused of evidence tampering has pleaded no contest in court. 

The Hawaiʻi Attorney General reports Officer Noah Serrao pleaded no contest on Tuesday to the criminal charges of Perjury, False Swearing in Official Matters and Tampering with a Government Record. The AG noted Serrao asked the presiding court to defer acceptance of his no contest pleas. 

Both Officer Serrao and Officer Blane K. Kenolio, both six-year members assigned to Hilo Patrol, were charged in January of this year, after allegedly violating an arrestee’s constitutional protections during searches they conducted back in May 2023.

In February, Officer Kenolio pleaded no contest to the criminal charge Tampering with Physical Evidence. 

Police photo of Blane Kenolio

From the Hawaiʻi Attorney General:

The charges stemmed from an unconstitutional search of an arrestee’s belongings inside the Hilo Police Station. Serrao later made false statements about the unconstitutional search to a presiding judge in an Application for Judicial Determination of Probable Cause for Warrantless Arrest and for the Extended Restraint of Liberty of Warrantless Arrestee.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD) and the Hawai‘i County Police Department.

“The people of Hawaiʻi rely on the integrity of our justice system at every stage. The rule of law depends on honesty, accountability and respect for constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez. “Our office is committed to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of position, are held to these standards. We extend our appreciation to the Hawaiʻi Police Department for its proactive cooperation and close coordination with our office throughout this investigation.”

“The Hawaiʻi Police Department holds its officers to the highest standards of integrity and truthfulness,” said Hawai’i Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna. “When those standards are violated, we fully support a fair and independent process to ensure accountability. We appreciate the thorough work of the Department of the Attorney General and remain committed to maintaining the trust of our community.”

The case, State v. Noah Serrao et al., 3CPC-26-0000022, is being prosecuted by SIPD Deputy Attorney General Benjamin Rose. Perjury is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. False Swearing in Official Matters and Tampering with a Government Record are misdemeanor offenses punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Sentencing for Serrao is scheduled for June 30, 2026, at 9 a.m.

Kenolio is scheduled for sentencing on May 28th.