31 year-old Curtis K. Brown, III of Puna was arrested and charged with the theft of a Chrysler minivan originally reported stolen from the Black Sands Subdivision in Pahoa. According to police, the vehicle was stolen after being parked on Upper Puna Road because of a flat tire on Thanksgiving Day.

On December 17, Brown was contacted by Puna Patrol while operating the vehicle. Officers observed the rear license plate to have been altered with black tape. Following the execution of a narcotics search warrant, officers recovered two glass smoking pipes containing a substance that tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine and a zip packet containing a substance that tested presumptive positive for cocaine.

Last week, Brown made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court where his bail was maintained at $55,000.00 and he was ordered to appear for preliminary hearing today.

As the Complaint alleges, Brown is charged with Theft in the First Degree (theft of a motor vehicle, a Chrysler Town and County van), Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle in the First Degree, Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree (possess any amount of methamphetamine), and Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree (possess any amount of cocaine). Theft in the First Degree is a class B felony offense which carries a penalty of either a ten-year prison term or four years probation and up to eighteen months in jail. Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle in the First Degree and Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree, are both class C felony offenses, which carry a penalty of either a five-year prison term or four years probation and up twelve months in jail.

The charges are merely allegations, and the Defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kirsten Selvig