A judge has refused a request by a 56-year-old Pahoa man accused of attempting to distribute methamphetamine at the Mo‘oheau Bus Terminal in downtown Hilo to be freed without monetary bail.
Hilo District Judge Kanani Laubach on Friday denied a motion by Deputy Public Defender Arthur Indiola to free Pio Kapeli on supervised release, a form of cashless bail.
The judge maintained Kapeli’s bail at $221,000 and ordered him to return Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.
According to police, Kapeli was arrested Wednesday afternoon after vice officers executed a search warrant on a backpack possessed by Kapeli and found 4.21 ounces of methamphetamine, a digital scale with methamphetamine residue, more than 50 zip-lock packets commonly used for drug distribution and 20.83 grams of marijuana.
On Thursday, Kapeli was charged with two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, for possession and attempted distribution of meth, promoting a controlled substance on or near a public park and simple marijuana possession.
The most serious charges, the two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug are Class A felonies punishable by 20 years imprisonment, upon conviction. The promotion of a controlled substance in or near a park is a Class C felony carrying a potential five-year prison term, while possession of more than three grams and less than an ounce of marijuana is a petty misdemeanor.
Police say that at the time of Kapeli’s arrest, there were young children in and around the bandstand at Russell Carroll Mo‘oheau County Park, where the bus terminal is located.
According to court documents, Kapeli recently a four-year probationary term for a first-degree theft conviction, a Class B felony, on an offense that occurred Dec. 30, 2020.
Kapeli remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.