A 29-year-old Keaau man charged with numerous drug and property crimes is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Troy K. Canda-Raigumai is charged with three counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, plus single counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, first-degree unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, attempted second-degree theft, habitual property crime, marijuana possession, fourth-degree theft and fourth-degree property damage.
According to the Hawaii Judiciary website, the paraphernalia charge Canda-Raigumai is facing is a Class B felony carrying a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, upon conviction.
According to police, at about 9:30 a.m. Friday, officers responded to the parking area at the intersection of Puainako Street extension and Komohana Street in Hilo for a report of a suspicious male in the area possibly breaking into vehicles.
Police say investigation determined Canda-Raigumai Canda-Raigumai had broken into another vehicle and removed property from that vehicle which they saw in Canda-Raigumai’s vehicle. The promotion of a dangerous drug, attempted second-degree theft, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and habitual property crime charges are all Class C felonies with a maximum sentence of five years upon conviction.
A search warrant was obtained and executed on Canda-Raigumai’s vehicle, which, according to police, yielded 5.35 grams of dried processed marijuana, 0.39 grams of methamphetamine, 0.63 grams heroin, prescription pills and allegedly stolen items from the victim’s vehicle.
Canda-Raigumai pleaded not guilty to all charges Monday.
Ivan Van Leer, Canda-Raigumai’s court-appointed defense attorney, asked Hilo District Judge Kimberly Taniyama grant his client court-supervised release without cash bail.
Deputy Prosecutor Herbert Mukai objected and asked the court to maintain Canda-Raigumai’s $63,000 bail.
He told the judge that Canda-Raigumai’s previous convictions include second- and fourth-degree theft, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Van Leer argued Canda-Raigumai is “a young man under the influence of a cocktail of drugs” that caused him to pass out and that if he were to get off drugs he could be a productive, law-abiding citizen. He added the bail amount was “tantamount to no bail” to Canda-Raigumai.
“Circumstances demand corrective action instead him just being put into (Hawaii Community Correctional Center), Van Leer said.
Taniyama maintained Canda-Raigumai’s bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
