Man avoids jail after no-contest plea in illegal explosive device case

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Mililani man avoided jail time after pleading no contest to six felony counts related to illegal explosive devices, officials said.

Read more DOH orders operator to close Kalihi foster care home after violations

Jeremy Calizo, 23, was granted a deferred acceptance of his no-contest plea and ordered to complete 240 hours of community service for an incident that occurred on Dec. 23, 2024, in Waipahu.

During an undercover Department of Law Enforcement investigation, officials said Calizo was seen launching an aerial device from the middle of Hina Street that exploded above nearby homes, creating an audible sound and visual display.

Authorities recovered one device in his possession and five more from his vehicle, officials said.

Video shows the Honolulu Police Department’s bomb squad conducting a controlled test of one of the devices. The explosion was so violent, it knocked over the recording camera.

Intentional possession, construction, ignition, discharge or causing the explosion of any illegal explosive device, in violation of Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes § 134-28, is a class C felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for each count.

In Calizo’s case, despite prosecutors’ request for 30 days of jail time, the court granted him a four-year deferred acceptance of his no-contest plea. If he successfully complies with the court’s terms and conditions, which includes community service, the felony charges may ultimately be dismissed, officials said.

Read more Retired warships to be sunk in waters off Hawaii

“From our point of view we respect the judge’s imposition of sentence and her authority to do that,” Department of Law Enforcement Deputy Director Jared Redulla said.

Redulla said it will take time to see results from stricter laws that were passed last year, and urged community support to hold offenders accountable.

“We’ve had large seizures — very large seizures — seizures that are tens of thousands of pounds. And what I want to say to everybody is this: We’re working hard every day and we know who those people are,” he said.

In 2025, the DLE fireworks task force made 5 felony arrests, executed 23 search warrants, initiated 8 nuisance abatement processes against property owners, and seized 80 tons of illegally imported fireworks. The cases are still under investigation. Meantime, about 2,600 pounds of fireworks were turned in at buyback events.

The DLE said teams will be looking for illegal firework activity across Oahu this holiday weekend.

Read more Suspect in 2 Makiki bank robberies appears in court