Kawaihae man charged with 24 offenses

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A 55-year-old Kawaihae man who was being sought on a bench warrant for assault has been located and charged with an additional 23 offenses.

A 55-year-old Kawaihae man who was being sought on a bench warrant for assault has been located and charged with an additional 23 offenses.

Martin Frank Booth was arrested Thursday on the warrant and charged with the additional offenses on Friday.

On Dec. 18, Kona Vice officers executed a search warrant at a home on Honokoa Street in Kawaihae. During the search, officers recovered 8.1 grams of a crystalline substance, 128 grams of dried green plant material, a rifle and various items of drug paraphernalia.

Russell Kong, 66, of Kawaihae, 38-year-old Keoni Kong of Waimea and 62-year-old Graly Vasconcellos of Hilo were arrested at the scene and later released pending further investigation. Booth, who lived at the house, was not present and police continued to search for him.

On Dec. 29, officers responded to a Kinue Road home in Captain Cook after a woman reported being threatened with a firearm by an unknown man who had then fled in a sedan. Officers later found the car on Highway 11 in Captain Cook. Police say the driver was 39-year-old Regina Patrick of Kealakekua and that a male passenger fled on foot.

Patrick was arrested on an outstanding $250 bench warrant and charged with contempt of court. She was also arrested on suspicion of promoting a dangerous drug but was released on that offense pending further investigation.

Vice officers executed a search warrant on the car and recovered a loaded pistol, an unloaded shotgun, numerous rounds of ammunition, 18.7 grams of a crystalline substance, 0.9 grams of dried green plant material, 40 prescription pills, brass knuckles, several large knives, and paraphernalia associated with the use and sale of crystal methamphetamine.

Police say investigation determined that Booth was the passenger who had fled and that he was the terroristic threatening suspect.

Booth was arrested at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at a home on Luau Drive in Ocean View and charged on the bench warrant with second-degree assault.

At 5:15 p.m. Friday, detectives charged Booth with meth trafficking, eight counts of promoting dangerous drugs, promoting controlled substances near a school, three counts each of marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia, six firearm offenses and terroristic threatening. His bail was set at $266,000.

His initial court appearance was Monday.