A 23 year old New York man was arrested in Hawaii after social media posts allegedly showed him out and about while he was supposed to be in quarantine.
According to a press release from the Hawaii governor’s office, special agents from the Department of the Attorney General arrested Tarique, of the Bronx, for allegedly violating the state’s mandatory 14 day quarantine and for unsworn falsification to authority. His bail was set at $4,000. The allegations have not been decided in court.
Hawaii requires arriving travelers to self quarantine for 14 days and to sign a document acknowledging that breaking the rule is a criminal offense that can bring a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison. Officials say Tarique arrived on O’ahu on Monday and left his hotel room the same day, using public transportation to get around.
“Authorities became aware of his social media posts from citizens who saw posts of him on the beach with a surfboard, sunbathing, and walking around Waikiki at night,” the release said. Hotel employees also confirmed he had been seen leaving the property several times.
Attorney General Clare Connors said, “We appreciate the assistance of local people who spot flagrant violations of our emergency rules on various social media sites and report them to the appropriate authorities.” Several other tourists have been arrested for failing to quarantine, and officials said a local man was arrested with Tarique, with charges pending against him.
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