On April 17, the H-2 in Waipio was the scene of chaos. Police say Esperas tried to escape from a stolen van. Just minutes before, he fired a 12-gauge shotgun at Officer Rob Steiner, seriously injuring his hand. Three others with Esperas at the time were arrested. His wife, Bernadette O'ili La'a and longtime friend Jesse Ani appeared in court on charges of operating a stolen vehicle.
Police say both are members of an auto theft ring that targeted the docks.
Detectives say approximately 12 cars were ripped off from Pier 39 in just 7 days. According to court documents, both La'a and Ani confessed to driving cars they knew were stolen from the docks. Police say Esperas was the ring leader who found the Young Brothers lots prime picking grounds. State investigators say during busy times, the thieves were able to just walk into the dock area or climb over the fence. Often, keys are left dangling in car doors allowing thieves to just drive away with the stolen goods.