MEDIA RELEASE
Prosecuting Attorney Charlene Y. lboshi announced today that:
On November 20, 2012, Third Circuit Court Judge Glenn S. Hara rejected the request by Puna resident Shonna Soares, 36, to defer her guilty plea to one count of promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree and sentenced her to 5 years probation for that offense. As part of her probation sentence, she was also required to serve 60 days in jail, pay a drug demand reduction fee in the amount of $1,000, and forfeit all firearms and ammunition. Her request to delay serving her jail sentence until after the holidays was denied.
Investigation by the Hawaii Police Department revealed that marijuana plants were growing on real property occupied by Shonna Soares. On August 1, 2011, police officers executed a search warrant authorizing them to search the premises for marijuana. From the real property occupied by Shonna Soares, police officers recovered 69 marijuana plants. Additional marijuana plants were found on the vacant lots adjoining her property. Police officers also seized 7 unregistered firearms and ammunition from the premises.
As a result of this investigation, police officers also seized for forfeiture $5,000 in cash, a 2006 Ford F-350 truck, a 2007 Kawasaki Mule, a 2000 Harley Davidson Replica motorcycle, and two large flat screen televisions, all of which were forfeited to the State of Hawaii in a separate administrative forfeiture proceeding.
Promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree is a class “C” felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.00.