41-year-old Francis Piloton, Jr. of Puna was arrested and charged following a firearms and terroristic threatening incident that occurred fronting a residence on Old Volcano Road on January 4.

According to police, officers responded to a report of a male party who threatened a female and discharged a shotgun. Officers identified Piloton as the male suspect and later recovered a loaded, semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun with a defaced serial number, a glass smoking pipe, and a clear zip type baggie containing a white crystalline substance which tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

Piloton made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court on Monday afternoon, where the Court maintained his bail at $226,000 and ordered that he appear for a preliminary hearing today.

As the Complaint alleges, Piloton is charged with Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, Place to Keep Loaded Firearms Other Than Pistols and Revolvers, Ownership or Possession of Firearm Prohibited, Ownership or Possession of Ammunition Prohibited, Alteration of Identification Marks, Place to Keep Ammunition, and Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree (possess any amount of methamphetamine). The most serious offenses, Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, Place to Keep Loaded Firearms Other Than Pistols and Revolvers, and Ownership or Possession Prohibited, are all class B felony offenses and carry a penalty of either a ten-year prison term or four years probation and up to eighteen months in jail. Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree is a class C felony offense and carries a penalty of either a five-year prison term or four years probation and up to twelve months in jail.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Herbert Mukai.

HPD Photo