A Big Island man and woman will stand trial on charges of meth trafficking, among other drug offenses, after being arrested last week allegedly in possession of more than a pound of illegal narcotics at Kona International Airport. ADVERTISING A
A Big Island man and woman will stand trial on charges of meth trafficking, among other drug offenses, after being arrested last week allegedly in possession of more than a pound of illegal narcotics at Kona International Airport.
Rebecca S. O’Brien, 35, and Jacob D. Stone, 28, each waived their right to a preliminary hearing Monday before Kona District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga.
Stone, a Waimea resident, will enter his pleas to charges of first-degree methamphetamine trafficking and possessing drug paraphernalia on Thursday before 3rd Circuit Court Chief Judge Ronald Ibarra in Kona.
O’Brien, a Kailua-Kona resident, will enter her pleas to charges of first-degree methamphetamine trafficking, two counts of first-degree promoting a dangerous drug, one count of second-degree promoting a dangerous drug, and four counts of possessing drug paraphernalia on Dec. 24 before 3rd Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Strance in Kona.
Both remain incarcerated at Hawaii Community Correctional Center — O’Brien in lieu of $250,000 bail and Stone on $150,000 bail.
Shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Hawaii Police Department Area II Vice section officers served search warrants on O’Brien and Stone as they were arriving on a flight from San Francisco.
O’Brien and Stone allegedly had on their possession several individual bundles of narcotics, filled with either a crystalline substance, white powdery substance or a black tar-like substance.
The bundles totaled nearly 19 ounces of what tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine and heroin, according to Vice Lt. Sherry Bird. The drugs have a combined street value of more than $70,000.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.
