By JOHN BURNETT
By JOHN BURNETT
Tribune-Herald staff writer
A man and a woman have been charged with numerous offenses stemming from a burglary last week in Puna.
The burglary occurred on Oct. 25 at a 21st Avenue home in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision, police said on Wednesday.
Police said that investigation led to the identities of two suspects, 40-year-old Michael Anderson of Keaau, and 24-year-old Celeste Geraghty of Pahoa. Both were arrested Monday. Detectives recovered two rings allegedly taken in the burglary from Anderson, who was arrested at Wailoa State Park in Hilo. They also found four packets of a white crystalline substance and drug paraphernalia after search warrants were executed at Geraghty’s home in the Ainaloa subdivision and on Anderson’s personal property.
Court documents stated that the items taken had a value of $875 and that Geraghty pawned items worth $470 at Pay Day Loans in Hilo.
About 0.4 grams of methamphetamine was confiscated from Geraghty and about 0.1 gram from Anderson, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, Anderson was charged with second-degree theft, marijuana possession, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and two counts of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $60,000.
Geraghty was charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and two counts of drug paraphernalia. She was also charged with failure to appear in an unrelated case. Her bail was set at $15,050.
Both Anderson and Geraghty made their initial appearances on Wednesday in Hilo District Court.
Deputy Public Defender Justin Lee requested supervised release for bot, while Deputy Prosecutor Winston Albright asked that bail be maintained.
Albright noted that Geraghty “was present during the burglary of the house.”
“Furthermore, the defendant admitted that she was in possession of stolen items and also the officers also noted that she had pawned stolen items, as well,” Albright said.
Albright said that Anderson “has two felony convictions, eight misdemeanors and 10 petty misdemeanors.”
“We would also note a conviction for robbery with a five-year prison sentence in 1995 and an escape charge that was reduced to obstructing government operations on July 10 of 1999,” he said. “… We would also note that the defendant was arrested on May 11, 2013 for felony burglary in the first degree, (first-degree) terroristic threatening, assault in the second degree, kidnapping and (fourth-degree) sexual assault. We would also note a conviction for promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree, and we would note that because the present charges are also tied in to that type of behavior.”
Judge Harry Freitas maintained bail for both and scheduled preliminary hearings for Thursday.
Email John Burnett at
jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.