Puna man accused of stealing trailer from school

A 28-year-old Puna man who appeared in Hilo District Court for allegedly stealing a trailer from a public charter school in Pahoa was served with an arrest warrant moving his case up to Hilo District Court.

According to court records, Haaheo K. Chan was served with a felony warrant Thursday afternoon. The arrest warrant charges Chan with second-degree theft, second- and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and prohibited possession of a firearm and ammunition, and authorizes his re-arrest on those charges.

According to District Attorney Kelden Waltjen, police recovered the trailer, which was reported stolen on Oct. 2, from the Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences campus after executing a search warrant on Oct. 30 at a residence on Sandalwood Drive in the Ainaloa neighborhood Estates had enacted.

Police also reportedly searched a bedroom in the apartment believed to belong to Chan and recovered a .22 caliber Jennings handgun – commonly referred to as the “Saturday Night Special” – as well as .22 caliber ammunition, more than 10 grams of methamphetamine and a glass of safe pipe smoking.

At Chan's first court appearance on Monday, Hilo County Judge Jeffrey Hawk maintained Chan's bond at $130,000 and ordered him to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Hawk also agreed to a public defender's request to recuse himself from Chan's case due to a conflict of interest and hired private attorney Stanton Oshiro to defend Chan.

The felony warrant lowers Chan's bond to $114,000, but he remained in custody at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center as of late Thursday afternoon.

Second-degree promoting a dangerous drug is a Class B felony punishable by 10 years in prison upon conviction, as are prohibited possession of a firearm and ammunition. Second-degree theft and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug are Class C felonies, punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.

Email John Burnett at [email protected].