Five people were arrested Friday on the Big Island for drug offenses after officers executed two search warrants.
Police stopped a pickup truck driven by 26-year-old Kaipo Botelho-Matthey of Hawi on Union Mill Road in Kapaau because of a defective tail light.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Botelho-Matthey and his passenger, 26-year-old Trent Fujii of Hawi, on suspicion of drug charges.
In a search warrant on the truck the following day, police recovered resealable plastic packets containing crystalline substance, a glass smoking pipe with crystalline residue, an unregistered .22 caliber firearm, ammunition, and $852 in cash.
A second traffic stop on a sedan driven by 24-year-old Evelyn Lopez of Hilo led to the arrest of Lopez and her two passengers, 43-year-old Michael Torres of Kapaau and 23-year-old Zerica Bell-Ching of Hawi.
Upon execution of a search warrant on Saturday, officers recovered a container that contained a crystalline residue, a glass smoking pipe with crystalline residue, .22 caliber ammunition, and $116 in cash.
The five suspects were held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Vice Section continued the investigation.
On Sunday, detectives charged Botelho-Matthey with second-degree promoting dangerous drugs, third-degree promoting dangerous drugs, three firearms offenses, driving with a defective tail light and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $14,000.
Fujii was released pending further investigation.
Lopez and Bell-Ching were also charged with one count each of third-degree promoting dangerous drugs and possessing drug paraphernalia. Lopez was also charged with a no-fault insurance offense. Her bail was set at $4,025 and Bell-Ching’s bail was set at $4,000.
Torres was charged with two counts each of third-degree promoting dangerous drugs and possessing drug paraphernalia, and three firearms offenses. His bail was set at $51,000.
The recovered cash from both vehicles was seized for forfeiture.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
