HONOLULU -- A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Hawaii man convicted of Oahu murders five years ago to life behind bars, with no possibility of parole.

The strict sentence for Ethan Motta was not a surprise to anyone involved in the case because the judge was forced to follow federal sentencing guidelines. Even though everyone knew the life sentence was coming, it was still an emotional end to the long criminal case.

Judge Susan Mollway handed down the life sentence for the murders that happened in 2004.

"What happened here today was totally expected. In light of the convictions, nobody had an option, not even the judge. Congress prescribed the sentence life - life without parole," defense attorney Richard Pafundi said.

Motta made no final statement before the judge. He gave a smile and a waved to his family and friends that joined him inside the courtroom. Then Motta dropped his head as the sentence was read.

"Even being prepared for it, it was a difficult day, a somber day. You have a lot of people affected by the trauma," Pafundi said.

Lepo Taliese and Romelius Corpus Jr. were killed in the gunfire when rival groups performing security at the game rooms met at Pali Golf Course, prosecutors said. Tino Sao suffered a gunshot wound to his face. Nixon Maumalanga escaped the shooting unharmed.

Before the sentencing, a letter was read from the wife of one of the men killed at the golf course. Maanaima Taliese Utu Corpuz told the court that Motta, "Showed no conscience whatever to satisfy your selfish desires. You took away the life God intended for me."

The sentence ends a long criminal case that first began in Hawaii's state courts and ended under federal jurisdiction. 


"This brings to a close a very unfortunate and violent episode in organized crime history in Hawaii. It's a very serious offense as the judge commented and warranted a very serious sanction on this defendant," 1st Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Enoki said.

While Motta will not be eligible for parole, his attorney has already started working on his appeal to the convictions. Until that appeal is ready, Motta requested to be incarcerated at the high-security U.S. penitentiary in Atwater, Calif., so he could be near his family.