A 55-year-old Leilani Estates man made his initial court appearance Tuesday on numerous drug and identity theft charges.
Jack Marshall Brenha is charged with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, marijuana possession, possessing drug paraphernalia and two counts of unauthorized possession of confidential personal information.
Police took him into custody just before noon Monday after serving a search warrant on his Kupono Street home for the second time this year. Officers reportedly seized 369.3 grams of heroin — more than 4/5 of a pound — just under a gram of crystal methamphetamine, an ounce of marijuana and just over $8,100 in cash, which is subject to possible forfeiture.
The drugs have an estimated street value of just over $93,000, police said.
Officers also recovered a stolen wallet containing the alleged identity theft victim’s identification, police said.
Also arrested at the scene on suspicion of second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug was 46-year-old Samuel Keohokapu of Pahoa, who has since been released from custody without being charged pending further investigation.
Defense attorney Stanton Oshiro made a special appearance for Brenha and asked Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas to reduce Brenha’s $201,000 bail.
“That’s extremely high bail, judge. It would appear that the amount even exceeds high bail. We’re asking that normal bail be set,” Oshiro told the judge.
Deputy Prosecutor Jared Auna said officials attempted to do a bail study but Brenha “refused to awaken and/or participate in the interview.”
“The request for the bail as it is set right now is partially because of the active case … essentially it is a drug case, multiple charges including an A felony, like today. We are alleging, similar to this case, high amounts of drugs,” Auna said.
Freitas denied Oshiro’s request for a bail reduction, but granted his request for an updated bail study and set a preliminary hearing for 2 p.m. Thursday.
Until his arrest Monday, Brenha was free on bail awaiting trial for numerous gun and drug offenses.
He was indicted March 7 by a Hilo grand jury for first-, second- and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree marijuana possession, two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and a single count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, officers executed a search warrant Feb. 2 at Brenha’s home.
Police say the search netted more than a half-pound of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice,” 9.2 grams of heroin, 2 ounces of marijuana, paraphernalia, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, a 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle, a .30-caliber carbine rifle, a .223-caliber rifle and numerous live rounds of ammunition.
The most serious charge in each case, first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment in the first case, however, prosecutors are alleging Brenha is a persistent and multiple offender, and “an extended term of imprisonment is necessary for the protection of the public.”
That means a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole could be imposed if Brenha is convicted on the first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug charge in the previous case.
His bail in the first case initially was set at $156,500, but was reduced to $81,000 by Freitas, according to court records.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
