KAILUA-KONA — A 48-year-old man initially arrested, but later released, during a marijuana bust at a Kona Palisades home last week has since been indicted by a grand jury.
The indictment against Robert Patrick Kirkhill was filed Tuesday in Kona Circuit Court. He faces charges of two counts of first-degree promotion of marijuana, prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia, second-degree promotion of a harmful drug, fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug and third-degree promotion of a harmful drug.
A bench warrant for his arrest was issued Wednesday, with bail set at $30,000.
The Hawaii Police Department’s Kona Vice Section discovered 368 marijuana plants during the execution of a search warrant Aug. 6 at the home in the 73-1000 block of Kaiminani Drive, where Kirkhill resides.
The search also yielded 30 pounds of dried marijuana, a digital scale, Ziploc bags with marijuana inside and other items.
According to the indictment, Kirkhill possessed one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances of an aggregate weight of 1/8-ounce or more, “containing one or more of the harmful drugs or one or more of the marijuana concentrates.”
The 48-year-old was also found in possession of 25 or more capsules of tablets containing one or more of the harmful drugs or one or more of the marijuana concentrates as well as possession of the drug alazopram.
Police recovered $9,000 in cash at the scene, as well as an unregistered firearm.
Kirkhill also was found in possession of a Ruger .357 Magnum, and also faces charges related to the unregistered firearm.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.