Bail reduced for man charged with Wailuku house burglaries

WAILUKU — A man charged with burglarizing homes in Wailuku last month was ordered to stay away from Naniloa Drive, where some of the burglaries occurred, if he is released on bail.

William Heintz, 37, of Wailuku had his bail reduced from $112,000 to $50,000 in one criminal case alleging he burglarized two homes and another building on Naniloa Drive on March 25.

He told neighbors he had been hired to work on one house and pretended he wanted to rent another residence, according to police. Two digital cameras were stolen from one house and a safe was damaged at the other house, police reported.

During a court hearing Thursday, Deputy Public Defender Zach Raidmae sought a reduction in bail for Heintz. The higher bail amount was set when police arrested him for the enhanced crime of committing the burglaries during an emergency, but that wasn’t reflected in the charges against Heintz, Raidmae said.

Heintz has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, three counts of habitual property crime, third-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal property damage. A June 15 trial is set for him in 2nd Circuit Court.

Deputy Prosecutor Ronson Ibarra asked for bail to remain at the higher amount, saying Heintz’s criminal history includes 16 felony convictions, three misdemeanor convictions and 10 petty misdemeanor convictions.

While reducing bail to $50,000, Judge Peter Cahill noted that Heintz reported using heroin intravenously daily.

Heintz said he could live with his mother, whom he takes care of, if he is released.

He said he had been clean for three years and had graduated from the Maui Drug Court program of treatment and supervision.

After seeing that the burglaries allegedly occurred on the same street, Cahill told Heintz, “You don’t go to Naniloa Drive at all.”

In another case, his bail was reduced from $50,000 to $15,000 when he appeared in court Tuesday on charges of first-degree burglary, habitual property crime and burglary of a building other than a dwelling during a disaster emergency relief period. The burglaries occurred March 26 on Lunalilo Street, according to the complaint filed against Heintz.

He was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs and to report for supervision if he is released from jail.