A California man who allegedly transported drugs from the mainland to Kona on Easter pleaded not guilty to all charges Thursday.
A California man who allegedly transported drugs from the mainland to Kona on Easter pleaded not guilty to all charges Thursday.
Hawaii County Police arrested Gerald Wrischnik, 40, on April 5 at Kona International Airport.
Police served Wrischnik with a search warrant when he deplaned, which included an X-ray of his body at Kona Community Hospital.
Items were later found inside him and police said they recovered 175.6 grams of a black tar-like substance suspected to be heroin and 4.6 grams of a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine.
Detectives later charged Wrischnik with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree attempted meth trafficking, criminal conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deputy Public Defender Wendy DeWeese said Thursday Wrischnik pleaded not guilty to all charges and he will head to trial at 9 a.m. on July 21 at the Division 4 Court in Kona.