A 47-year-old Kona man accused of possession and attempted distribution of pounds of methamphetamine and a host of other felony offenses is due back in court today.
Michael Kaonohi Perry is slated to appear in Kona District Court today for a preliminary hearing during which the state will work to show it has probable cause to support 19 counts filed against the Kona man following a traffic stop Jan. 5 in South Kohala.
According to police and prosecutors, Perry was in possession of more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine, and an undisclosed amount of hydrocodone and fentanyl pills when he was pulled over by police. The Kona man, who has two prior felony convictions, was also in possession of a loaded firearm and counterfeit U.S. currency.
Perry was subsequently charged with three counts of ownership of a prohibited automatic firearm; two counts each first-degree promoting a dangerous drug and ownership or possession of a firearm prohibited due to felon status; and one count each third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, possession of a firearm with intent to facilitate a felony drug offense, place to keep ammunition, place to keep a pistol or revolver, carrying a loaded firearm on a public highway, failure to register a firearm after arriving in the state, failure to have a permit to acquire a firearm, second-degree promoting a dangerous drug, operating a vehicle without a license, third-degree forgery, and attempted first-degree promoting a dangerous drug.
If convicted of the Class A felony offenses of first-degree promoting and attempted promoting a dangerous drug and possession of a firearm with intent to facilitate a felony drug offense, Perry could face up to 20 years behind bars, Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said in a media release.
Perry remains in custody in lieu of $200,000 bail. Bail was lowered from over $400,000 during his initial court appearance on Friday. In making the ruling, the judge rejected a defense request for either supervised release or $100,000 bail. The state had argued for bail to be maintained.