Puna woman charged with vehicle theft from car dealership and meth possession: Big Island Now

A 38-year-old woman from Pune was arrested and charged with theft of a midsize car.

The vehicle, a Ford Fusion, was reported stolen Aug. 14 from the parking lot of Island Wide Motors in Hilo. Lataja Andrade was arrested by Puna patrol officers on November 26 after she was contacted in possession of the Ford Fusion at Kauakahi Place in Pāhoa.

After executing a search warrant, officers recovered over four grams of methamphetamine in a ziplock package, a sharps container containing five syringes (including one containing a liquid suspected to be positive for methamphetamine), and a glass pipe from the Ford Fusion.

Andrade made his first appearance in Hilo District Court on Friday afternoon. Your deposit
was set at $36,000 and she was ordered to appear at the preliminary hearing
December 3rd.

Andrade is accused of:

• First Degree Theft (Theft of a Motor Vehicle)
• Unauthorized Control of a Powered Vehicle in the First Degree
• Advertising a dangerous drug in the second degree
• Advertising a dangerous drug in the third degree
• Ammunition storage location

Larceny in the first degree and promoting a dangerous drug in the second degree
Class B felonies, punishable by either ten years or four years in prison
Probation and up to 18 months in prison.