California Man Charged with Drug Trafficking

A California man has been charged with drug trafficking after being arrested on Easter Sunday at the Kona International Airport at Keāhole.

At 7:43 p.m., officers executed a search warrant on 40-year-old Gerald Wrischnik of Oceanside, California after he deplaned following a flight.  The search included an X-ray of Wrischnik at Kona Community Hospital, revealing illicit substances in his body.

Police found 175.6 grams of a black-tar like substance believed to be heroin and 4.6 grams of a white crystalline substance suspected to be meth.  Both substances were packaged in a manner consistent with narcotics trafficking.

Wrischnik was taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.

On Tuesday afternoon, April 7, he was charged 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.

Wrischnik’s bail has been set at $160,000 and he remains at the Kona cellblock pending his first court appearance scheduled for Wednesday, April 8.