Puna Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

46 year-old Omar Kesment New of Puna was sentenced to a concurrent ten-year prison term in Hilo Circuit Court for prohibited possession of a firearm (prohibited based on prior felony conviction) and possession of methamphetamine.
The case stemmed from a September 27, 2020 vehicle traffic stop by Detective Chris Jelsma and Officer Keanu Lumwon in South Hilo. Following the execution of a search warrant, VICE officers recovered a loaded Glock brand style .40 caliber unserialized handgun (“ghost gun”), live ammunition, and several grams of methamphetamine.
On November 30, 2022, New entered “No Contest” pleas to the offenses of Ownership or Possession Prohibited (prohibited based on prior felony conviction) and Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree (possession of any amount of methamphetamine). Ownership or Possession Prohibited is a class B felony offense, which carries a maximum penalty of a ten-year prison term. Promoting a Dangerous Drug in the Third Degree is a class C felony offense, which carries a maximum penalty of a five-year prison term.
The case was initiated by South Hilo Patrol while the felony drug investigation was handled by the Area I VICE Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elyssa Correia Keltner.
 
Photo credit Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney