Man charged with firearms offenses

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A Kona man has been charged with five offenses after he was allegedly carrying a loaded shotgun on a highway in Kealakekua.

A Kona man has been charged with five offenses after he was allegedly carrying a loaded shotgun on a highway in Kealakekua.

At 8 a.m. Jan. 1, a motorist reported seeing a “local” man in a red hooded sweatshirt carrying what appeared to be a rifle while walking on the side of Mamalahoa Highway in the area of Halekii Street in Kealakekua.

Responding officers located a man fitting that description and holding what appeared to be a rifle. When the officers approached him, the suspect fled into brush area behind Pualani Terrace. The officers located and arrested 39-year-old Ioster Henly of Kailua-Kona and reportedly recovered a loaded shotgun. Police recovered an additional 16 rounds of shotgun ammunition from Henly. He was taken to the Kona police cellblock while Area II Criminal Investigations Section detectives continued the investigation.

At 4:30 p.m. Jan. 2, detectives charged Henly with possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway, failure to properly keep a loaded firearm and ammunition, and not having his gun registered and permitted. His bail was set at $13,000. He remained in the cell block until his initial court hearing Thursday.