A 79-year-old Kailua-Kona man has been indicted by a Kona grand jury on numerous drug and firearms charges. ADVERTISING A 79-year-old Kailua-Kona man has been indicted by a Kona grand jury on numerous drug and firearms charges. The 10-count indictment
A 79-year-old Kailua-Kona man has been indicted by a Kona grand jury on numerous drug and firearms charges.
The 10-count indictment charges Norman Eiji Nakamoto with second-degree methamphetamine trafficking, two counts of second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, plus second-degree promotion of a detrimental drug, fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm with the intent to commit a felony drug offense, no firearm registration and no permit to acquire a firearm.
Nakamoto was re-arrested on the charges, which stem from a search warrant executed Dec. 27 on a Lihau Street residence in Kailua-Kona.
According to a police spokeswoman, officers seized 5.4 grams of methamphetamine, 77.3 grams of marijuana, 10 tablets of hydrocodone and five of oxycodone — two semi-synthetic opioid painkillers marketed as Vicodin and Oxycontin, respectively — and 20 tablets of lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug marketed as Ativan.
The spokeswoman said that officers also confiscated a loaded rifle.
Possession of a firearm with intent to commit a felony drug offense is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Second-degree methamphetamine trafficking and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug are Class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia are Class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison. Second-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug are misdemeanors.
Possessing a firearm without a permit to acquire is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, and possessing an unregistered firearm is a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail.A search of court records turned up no prior felony convictions for Nakamoto, who is free on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled for arraignment and plea on Friday before Kona Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra.
Nakamoto’s indictment is not the first time an elderly man has been accused of distributing hard drugs on the Big Island. On Dec. 15, 2011, Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara sentenced Rodrigo F. Borreta Sr., then 87, of Hawaiian Paradise Park, to five years in prison for third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Borreta was on parole at the time for a 1999 conviction for first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.
Charlene Iboshi, who was county prosecutor at the time, said she believed that Borreta was believed to be the oldest Hawaii County resident convicted of a dangerous-drug offense.
Borreta was paroled on Aug. 30, 2012, according to the state Department of Public Safety website.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
