31 year-old Cody Lee Ranchez Araw of Pepe‘ekeo was arrested and charged for attempted fentanyl distribution following his recent arrest at the Suisan Warehouse in Hilo.

Following the execution of narcotics search warrants, VICE officers recovered 71.5 fentanyl pills, equivalent to approximately 3,980 lethal doses of fentanyl, a total of $505.00, and drug paraphernalia.

At the time of his arrest, Araw was also arrested on two other unrelated Circuit Court warrants.

On Friday, Araw made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court where his bail was
reduced over Prosecutors’ objections and set at $100,000.00. He was ordered to appear for a
preliminary hearing tomorrow.

As the Complaint alleges, Araw is charged with Attempted Promoting a Dangerous Drug
in the First Degree (attempted distribution of twenty-five or more capsules, tablets, ampules,
dosage units, or syrettes, containing fentanyl), Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Second
Degree, four counts of Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree (possess any amount of
methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl), and Ownership or Possession of Ammunition
Prohibited. The most serious offense, Attempted Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the First Degree, is
a class A felony offense which carries a penalty of either a twenty-year prison term or ten years
probation and up to two years in jail.

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

The case was handled by the Hawaiʻi County Police Department’s Area I VICE Unit, while the case is
being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elyssa Correia Keltner.

 

Photos courtesy of : Hawai’i County Prosecuting Attorney and Associated Press