Kauai Man Sentenced to Over 29 Years’ Imprisonment for Extortion, Drug Trafficking, and Carrying a Firearm

News Release, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, Friday, September 5, 2025

HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that David Borges, 43, of Koloa, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Helen Gillmor to 352 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release on his guilty pleas to charges of extortion, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and distributing a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine. Borges has been detained since he was transferred to federal custody from the State of Hawaii on March 9, 2023. 

According to court records, during separate incidents on Kauai during December 26 and 27, 2021, Borges and codefendant Albert Bactad, 49, of Lihue, extorted and stole from two men $2,500 cash, drugs, a firearm, and an automobile. During the crimes, Borges and Bactad assaulted both victims, one of whom sustained facial injuries requiring surgery, threatened the victims with firearms, abducted one of the victims, and held the other for ransom. Borges also engaged in drug trafficking on Kauai, including possessing with intent to distribute 9 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm on April 26, 2022, conspiring with Denise Kalani, 62, of Lihue, to distribute 1,100 grams of methamphetamine and 50 grams of fentanyl from July 17, 2022 to August 5, 2022, and distributing a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine to four men on January 26, 2023. 

“Borges and his confederates have been a dangerous menace to our community – plaguing it with drugs and violence – and  today’s lengthy sentence is a resounding affirmation of our solemn commitment to convicting and punishing those who profit through the pain and misery deadly drugs like crystal methamphetamine bring to our islands. Today’s sentence finally brings an end to the reign of terror Borges and his confederates brought to the people of Hawaii,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our dedicated law enforcement partners at the FBI, ATF, and Kauai Police Department to root out those who endanger and victimize our communities.” 

“Mr. Borges led a violent narcotics trafficking organization; his crimes significantly contributed to the ongoing drug epidemic facing America and plaguing our island communities. This sentencing marks a crucial victory in the ongoing fight to protect our citizens from deadly drugs and violence,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “The FBI—standing in resolve with our local, state, and federal partners—will continue to use every available resource to dismantle these dangerous criminal organizations and bring their members to justice.” 

“There is an undeniable link between drug dealing and gun violence, and Mr. Borges’s possession of firearms and dealer quantities of meth and fentanyl posed an exceedingly dangerous risk to our community,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “I commend our ATF special agents and law enforcement partners for remaining steadfast in their com mitment to disrupting the sources of drugs in our communities and keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals. This sentence reflects the seriousness of Mr. Borges’s actions, and our citizens are now safer with him behind bars.” 

“This conviction represents a major step forward in protecting our community from the devastation caused by drugs and violence,” said Chief Kalani Ke, Kauai Police Department. “For years, this individual has terrorized our island, putting our families and neighborhoods at risk. We thank our federal partners for their strong support in this case, which demonstrates how collaboration leads to substantial results and holds those who endanger our community accountable. Together, we remain committed to safeguarding the people of Kauai and will continue our mission to keep dangerous individuals off our streets.” 

Borges is the last defendant in his cases to be sentenced, and his codefendants were sentenced as follows:

On March 13, 2025, Albert Bactad was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release on his guilty plea to a charge of extortion.

On April 8, 2025, Kalani was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release on her guilty plea to a charge of conspiring with Borges to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

On September 9, 2024, Wayne Inouye, 49, of Lihue, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release on his guilty plea to a charge of conspiring to obstruct justice arising from his efforts on behalf of Albert Bactad to secure false written statements from the two victims extorted by Borges and Bactad.

On September 5, 2024, Robin Takiguchi, 54, of Lihue, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release on his guilty plea to a charge of conspiring to obstruct justice arising from his efforts on behalf of Albert Bactad to secure false written statements from the two victims extorted by Borges and Bactad.

On March 12, 2025, Mahina Bactad, 29, of Kapaa, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release on her guilty plea to a charge of conspiring to obstruct justice arising from her efforts on behalf of Albert Bactad to secure false written statements from the two victims extorted by Borges and Bactad. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Kauai Police Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan prosecuted the case.

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SA: Samoan prison gang member’s wife receives 30 months in federal prison | Honolulu Star-Advertiser -- Borges has 137 arrests or citations on his record and 25 prior criminal convictions at the state level, including for robbery, fraudulent use of a credit card, car theft and felony assault and drug promotion.

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