Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 3 p.m. today for a Hilo man and woman taken into custody Thursday after a narcotics search warrant executed on a Waiakea House Lots home turned up drugs and firearms.
Hilo District Judge Bruce Larson on Monday denied defense requests to free 33-year-old Chace K. Tam and 31-year-old Mindy K. Helm on court-supervised release or to reduce their bail.
Police say their search of the home turned up 40.8 grams of methamphetamine, 2.7 grams of heroin, prescription pills, miscellaneous items of drug paraphernalia, a sawed-off shotgun, a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with its serial number removed, and ammunition.
Tam is charged with two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, three counts of promotion of a dangerous drug, fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug, three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a prohibited weapon, altering weapon identification markings, and violating parole.
The most serious charge, first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, upon conviction.
Helm is charged with second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, four counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and violating probation.
The most serious charge, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, is a Class B felony with a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, upon conviction.
Both remain in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, Tam in lieu of $251,000 bail for the drug and firearms charges and Helm in lieu of $65,000 bail on the drug charges and $50,000 bail for probation violation.
Tam’s arrest for violating parole was on a no-bail warrant.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
