Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
By JOHN BURNETT
Tribune-Herald staff writer
A 39-year-old Ainaloa man arrested late last year for making pipe bombs and growing marijuana has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ordered that Christopher Michael Robinson start his prison term immediately.
In a deal with prosecutors, Robinson pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree commercial promotion of marijuana and two firearms charges for being a felon in possession of ammunition and explosive devices.
The charges stemmed from a Nov. 4 raid on his Azure Drive home. Officers executing a search warrant found four bombs made of PVC pipe with rusty nails and red phosphorous, plus 131 marijuana plants, 107 marijuana “clones,” more than a pound of dried marijuana, various paraphernalia for growing marijuana, two glass pipes with methamphetamine residue, digital scales and ammunition for a .12-gauge shotgun and a .22-250 rifle.
In return for Robinson’s plea, prosecutors dropped numerous other charges, including first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana plus possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Prosecutors said Robinson has prior felony convictions in Nevada for attempted possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
“Every marijuana case is different,” Deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville said afterward. “This was a gentleman who was growing it for profit and was willing to create and use explosive devices, if necessary, to protect himself and his crop. That makes Mr. Robinson a very dangerous person.”
Bill Heflin, Robinson’s court-appointed attorney, said his client “took responsibility for his actions from the beginning.”
“He fully admitted everything; he apologized to the court,” Heflin said. “He is not a Hawaii resident; he intends to do his time and return to the mainland.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.