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03-20-15 Wanted man arrested on drug and weapon offenses (correction)

Hawaiʻi Police Department
Vice Section, Area II
Lieutenant Sherry Bird
Report No. C15008234

 

Media Release (corrects caliber of gun in 4th paragraph)

A Kona man who was wanted for questioning for an unrelated firearm and drug investigation was located Wednesday (March 18) in possession of a weapon and drugs.

Kona patrol officers observed 38-year-old Michael Ventrella of Kailua-Kona at a gas station on Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona. They recognized him as a man wanted for questioning and identified a 2012 Jeep next to him as his vehicle. They also identified a woman with him, 36-year-old Waiola Corcoran of Kealakekua, as being his passenger.

Officers observed a firearm inside the Jeep. They arrested the two and took them to the Kona police cellblock for further investigation. During a custodial search of Ventrella , police found .5 grams of a white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine and $127 in cash. The Jeep was towed to the police station and the Area II Vice Section took over the investigation.

After executing a search warrant on the Jeep, detectives recovered a loaded, unregistered 9-mm handgun with eight unspent rounds of ammunition, 1 gram of a crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine, 1.1 grams of a dried green plant material suspected to be marijuana, three unprescribed pharmaceutical pills and paraphernalia associated with meth use and intravenous narcotics ingestion.

At 3 p.m. Thursday (March 19), Vice detectives charged Ventrella with place to keep pistol, registration mandatory, permit to acquire, carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on a highway, promoting a detrimental drug and two counts each of promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $93,000.

Corcoran was charged with promoting a harmful drug. Her bail was set at $500.

Both were released from custody Thursday night after posting bail.

The Jeep and cash were seized for forfeiture proceedings.

The unrelated case Ventrella was wanted for is still under investigation.