Puna man, 42, charged with felony firearms offenses | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawaii island police have arrested and charged 42-year-old Kawika Benny Kahee of Pahoa with firearm offenses stemming from an incident Sunday near Kehau and Mauna Kea roads in the Nanawale Estates subdivision.

At 7:34 a.m., Puna patrol officers conducting area checks on a subdivision road came upon two vehicles, including a white To­yota pickup truck with Kahee standing outside it. Kahee was placed under arrest on two outstanding bench warrants.

The other vehicle was occupied by a woman. Officers determined she had no outstanding warrants and saw no violations.

While placing Kahee under arrest, officers observed a black semiautomatic pistol on the front passenger seat of the pickup truck. Kahee was subsequently arrested on suspicion of a firearm offense. The vehicle was recovered as evidence and towed to the Hilo Police Station pending execution of a search warrant.

The investigation was continued by detectives with the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section.

Upon executing a search warrant on the pickup truck, detectives recovered an unloaded semiautomatic 9mm pistol with no serial number, commonly referred to as a ghost gun. Detectives also determined that Kahee is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction involving violence, according to police.

On Monday, Kahee was charged with possessing a prohibited weapon, illegally carrying a handgun and being a felon in possession of a handgun. His bail was set at $120,000. Kahee was also charged on two outstanding bench warrants with bail totaling $15,000.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Detective Joseph Picadura at 808-961-2375 or Joseph.Picadura@hawaiipolice.gov.