The defense took aim at one of Michael Miske Jr.’s former co-defendants on Thursday, trying to cast doubt on the prosecution witness’ credibility after days of dramatic testimony in which he described his role in an alleged 2016 killing and other criminal activity.

Wayne Miller, a longtime friend and associate of Miske’s, gave short answers from the witness stand as Miske’s attorney grilled him over times he had duped investigators and probation officers, and the lengths he went to to abuse OxyContin — an addiction that at one point cost him around $2,000 a day. 

“You were an addict out of control,” Miske’s attorney, Michael Kennedy, said. 

“That’s fair to say,” Miller replied.

Miller, who began testifying Monday, has acknowledged he was involved in what prosecutors call the “Miske Enterprise” and pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering conspiracy in 2020 as part of a deal with prosecutors. He testified Thursday that he often purchased guns, supplies and cars for Miske and helped plan and “prepare” for the killing of 21-year-old Johnathan Fraser in 2016.

Federal prosecutors allege that Miske directed and funded the kidnapping-murder scheme as retribution for what Miske mistakenly believed was Fraser’s role in the death of Miske’s son, Caleb. Fraser’s body has never been found.

Storing Guns In Cars

Miller said he became involved in Miske’s operation in 2014 after serving a 10-year sentence on a bank robbery conviction, though the two had known each other for much longer.

He said he often purchased guns for Miske, who would sometimes complain that the ones he picked were “too loud.”

Miller testified that he and other associates had “cars parked around the island” in which they’d sometimes store the weapons. He was also asked to deliver guns to other people, including Jason Yokoyama, another former co-defendant-turned-prosecution witness.

Kennedy questioned about $400,000 Miller claimed Miske had provided for the purchase of 10 kilos of cocaine from the mainland. Miller was later arrested along with the dealers, and the drugs were seized. He told a grand jury that the money was seized as well, but Kennedy said there is no evidence of that.

He asked if Miller had ever seen photographs of the money after it was apparently seized by law enforcement. Miller said he hadn’t.

“No money was found to purchase 10 kilos of cocaine, sir,” Kennedy said. “That’s a lie, under oath.”

Miller insisted that Miske did provide money, but he never followed up to find out if it was actually seized by law enforcement.

“They let me go, I was free,” said Miller, who wasn’t charged in that case. “That’s the last thing I was worried about.”

In 2018, Miller was arrested on drug, weapons and kidnapping charges and told the jury that he decided to cooperate with federal investigators because he knew he was looking at a possible life sentence.

He acknowledged, though, that he withheld key information from investigators at first.

Prosecutors asked if he initially told FBI agents that he was involved in helping plan Fraser’s kidnapping. He said he didn’t.

Kennedy used Miller’s that to try to discredit him and highlighted the benefits Miller was receiving by cooperating with prosecutors. Miller is now facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison instead of life without parole.

He said Miller had been “fooling” authorities for years.

“He’s managed to fool the court,” Kennedy told reporters outside the courthouse after testimony ended. “He’s fooled the probation system. He’s fooled the FBI. He’s fooled everybody, and so the fooling’s got to stop at some point.” 

Different Pictures Of Miske

Kennedy also tried to portray Miller as a man who dedicated his life to crime and drugs while saying Miske spent his time building successful businesses, like Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control, Kennedy said.

“While you’re doing your time (in prison), what Mike is focused on is he’s doing things like fumigating the Polynesian Cultural Center,” Kennedy said.

Miller acknowledged from the stand that Miske had multiple successful businesses, including plumbing and solar companies. Miske nodded his head from the defense table.

“I’m not saying everything he did was wrong,” Miller said. “He did some things right.”

Miller also said he received checks from Miske’s business Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control and cashed them, despite not doing actual work for the business.

When he agreed to start cooperating with federal prosecutors in 2018, he said he at first tried to hide it by telling Miske he had been arrested on something that didn’t directly involve him.

“He got relaxed after that,” Miller said.

But he said Miske later started to suspect that Miller was cooperating with authorities. The mother of Miller’s son received a photo of flowers Miller had bought for the funeral of Miske’s son, Caleb, years earlier, Miller said.

The photo came with a message from Miske: “If I find out you’re cooperating, I hope you don’t have to go through this,” Miller said. “I took it as a threat.” 

Miske is under a 22-count indictment, with charges including murder in aid of racketeering and murder-for-hire conspiracy resulting in death, both of which carry mandatory minimum life sentences upon conviction.

“I’m not saying everything he did was wrong. He did some things right.”

Wayne Miller, former Miske co-defendant

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been in custody since July 2020. He’s standing trial alone after all of his former co-defendants accepted plea deals, including his half-brother John Stancil, who finalized a plea agreement with prosecutors hours before opening statements began last week. 

As testimony concluded on Thursday, Miske’s mother approached the defense table to say goodbye to her son and tell her she loved him. 

“Bye mom,” Miske said, as he was led away by U.S. marshals.