Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged a 40-year-old Kea’au man with two drug offenses after responding to a report of a male party brandishing a machine gun type firearm at Leleiwi Beach Park in Hilo. 

On Saturday morning, June 1, 2024, at about 10:36 a.m., South Hilo patrol officers responded to an anonymous report of a male brandishing what was described as a “machine gun” out of the window of a black Jeep Liberty which he was observed operating.  The reporting party then stated that the vehicle had parked near Leleiwi Beach Park.

Responding officers located the parked Jeep and contacted its sole occupant seated in the driver’s seat. Officers then observed a black rifle on the dashboard of the vehicle and also observed what appeared to be the butt of a second rifle resting against the center console on the front passenger’s floorboard area.

The male suspect was ordered out of the vehicle and was arrested without incident for two firearms offenses.  He was then identified as 40-year-old, Dustin David Edward Rieta, of Kea’au. Rieta was transported to the East Hawai’i Detention Facility for booking, processing, and continued investigation by detectives. The vehicle was recovered and towed to the Hawai’i Police Department’s secured vehicle evidence cage pending the execution of a search warrant.

Later that afternoon, detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section executed a search warrant on the vehicle resulting in the recovery of the two rifles, which upon closer examination were determined to be “Airsoft” type guns. Also recovered during the search were over .7 grams of methamphetamine, over 44 grams of marijuana, a methamphetamine smoking pipe, a digital scale, and over $17,000.00 in U.S. currency, which was seized for forfeiture.

After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday, June 2, 2024, detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section charged Rieta with the following offenses:

• Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug
• Third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug

Rieta’s bail was set at $5,100.00

Unable to post bail, Rieta made his initial court appearance on Monday, June 3, 2024, in South Hilo District Court.

Police ask that anyone with information regarding this incident to please contact Detective David Po’ohina at (808) 961-2385, or via email at David.Poohina@hawaiicounty.gov or the department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.