Man arrested when vice officers seize drugs
Cash-only bail kept at $500,000 based on defendant’s criminal history
WAILUKU — A Kula man was arrested Friday when police reported seizing quantities of crystal methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana.
Lewellyn Foster, 57, was charged with two counts of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and three counts of possessing drug paraphernalia.
During Foster’s initial appearance Monday in Wailuku District Court, Deputy Prosecutor Peter Hanano said police vice officers executed several search warrants Friday and recovered more than 700 grams of crystal methamphetamine, more than 150 grams of heroin and a quantity of marijuana.
In asking for bail to remain at the cash-only amount of $500,000, Hanano said “the defendant represents a danger to the community.”
He said Foster has an extensive criminal history including convictions for drugs, crimes of violence and firearm offenses dating to 1995. In April 2003, Foster was sentenced to prison for attempted manslaughter, first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree criminal property damage, multiple firearm offenses and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. He was being sought for violating his parole when he rammed his vehicle into a police vehicle in that case, Hanano said.
Deputy Public Defender Andres Tobar asked for a reduction in bail, saying the high bail amount was unreasonable.
Hanano said the bail amount wasn’t unreasonable, based on Foster’s criminal history and the seriousness of the charges. If convicted as charged, Foster faces a 20-year prison term that could be extended to a life sentence with the possibility of parole, Hanano said. He said Foster also faces a mandatory minimum prison term of six years and eight months.
Foster was on parole when he was arrested Friday and has a prior conviction for bail jumping in the 1990s, Hanano said.
Judge Douglas Wright maintained the cash-only bail of $500,000, based on Foster’s criminal history, the charges he is facing and the amount of drugs that police reported finding.