Big Island police
charge 11 with drugs
in Kona ‘ice’ bust
KAILUA-KONA >> Police have charged 11 people with possession of crystal methamphetamine and other drugs following a raid on two adjoining Kona "coffee shack" houses Tuesday, they said.
Police also took into custody four children, ages 10 months to 8 years, and turned them over to Child Protective Services.
Items seized in the raid in the Honalo, North Kona, raid included 30.8 grams of methamphetamine, or "ice," valued at $200 a gram; 2.1 grams of cocaine valued at $100 a gram; and 22 grams, or about three-quarters of an ounce, of marijuana valued at about $450 an ounce, Lt. Robert Hickcox said. Police also seized a .44 magnum revolver and a loaded .357 revolver.
The oldest among those arrested was Elston Hooper Sr., 43. Among the others, most were Hooper's children, nieces and nephews and their spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends. The men included Elston Hooper Jr., 21, Shaun Hooper, 19, Orson Carson, 37, Kevin Ramirez, 35, and Jared Medeiros, 26.
All of the men were charged with possession of methamphetamine except Elston Hooper Jr., charged only with marijuana possession. Besides "ice" possession, Ramirez was charged with eight firearms offenses.
Among the women were Shawnette Hooper, 30, Deyla-Mae Hooper, 22, Raynell Hooper, 20, Harmony Moses, 29, and Rita Reeves, 21. Deyla-Mae and Raynell Hooper were charged with marijuana possession only. The others were charged with methamphetamine possession.
Some were charged with drug possession and cockfighting several years ago, Hickcox said. Since the suspects are repeat offenders on the property but do not own it, a new "nuisance abatement" law might allow authorities to demand that the property owner evict them or face forfeiture of the property, Hickcox said.
