Police nab 4 in Kona drug bust

Three men and a woman were charged with an assortment of drug offenses after Kona vice officers served a search warrant Tuesday in Holualoa.

During the search at a home on the 75-5200 block of Mamalahoa Highway, officers recovered 13.7 grams of a crystalline substance, 0.3 grams of a brown tar-like substance, 1.2 grams of a dried, green leafy material, one suspected MDMA pill (commonly known as “ecstasy”), one unprescribed prescription pill, paraphernalia associated with meth use and distribution, a loaded, unregistered .22-caliber revolver and $344 in cash for forfeiture.

Arrested at the scene were the resident, 63-year-old Edward Schoeppner Jr. of Holualoa, along with 38-year-old Jose Garcia, who has no permanent address, 40-year-old David Mahi, who has no permanent address, and 43-year-old Teri Pedro of Kailua-Kona.

On Wednesday afternoon, Schoeppner was charged with meth trafficking, promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia in connection with Tuesday’s search warrant. He was also charged with meth trafficking, promoting a dangerous drug, promoting a harmful drug and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia for a December search warrant at the same house, during which he fled the scene. His bail was set at $96,500.

Garcia was charged with meth trafficking, promoting a detrimental drug, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug, two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and five firearms offenses. His bail was set at $193,000.

Mahi was charged with two counts each of promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $8,000.

Pedro was charged with promoting a dangerous drug, promoting a harmful drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $5,000.

They remained at the cellblock until their initial court appearance on today.