Police are looking for a 29-year-old Puna man wanted on a warrant for violating release on bail. ADVERTISING Police are looking for a 29-year-old Puna man wanted on a warrant for violating release on bail. Joseph Paul Branco of Ainaloa
Police are looking for a 29-year-old Puna man wanted on a warrant for violating release on bail.
Joseph Paul Branco of Ainaloa also is under indictment for two counts of first-degree methamphetamine trafficking. He’s described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 140 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.
Branco disappeared sometime prior to June 29, when he failed to show up for a court date in the meth case. He also was to be the state’s primary witness against Richard Theodore “Teddy Boy” Frias Jr. of Mountain View, who, in a deal with prosecutors, was sentenced to misdemeanor probation Nov. 3 for illegal storage of ammunition.
Frias’ conviction will be erased from his record if he completes his probation without further trouble with the law.
Prosecutors dropped two counts of first-degree methamphetamine trafficking, a Class A felony punishable by 20 years imprisonment, plus a drug paraphernalia charge against Frias because Branco couldn’t be found. According to Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Hashizaki, Branco’s testimony was necessary to link Frias to 7.75 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, paraphernalia, an unregistered handgun, two unregistered rifles and $5,700 in cash seized in a raid Feb. 20 on Alaloa Road in Waiakea Uka.
Anyone with information about Branco’s whereabouts is asked to call the police nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Todd Pataray at 961-2382 or todd.pataray@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer anonymity can call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and might be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
