Retired HPD Detective Turns Himself In Following Grand Jury Indictment

Brian Miller (PC: HPD)

A retired Hawai‘i Police detective awaiting trial on drug theft and conspiracy charges turned himself in following an additional indictment filed accusing him of intimidating witnesses in the case.

Brian Miller, 56, surrendered just after 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at the East Hawai‘i Detention Facility.

“He was arrested and charged on the strength of a grand jury indictment and was released after posting $50,000 bail,” according to a press release from HPD this morning.

Miller, a 56-year-old retired Hilo Vice Section detective, was initially indicted by a Kona grand jury in May 2019 after allegedly stealing cocaine from the Hilo police evidence locker in May 2016.

According to Wednesday’s indictment, Miller is accused of threatening and harassing two people meant to testify in the 2019 case. The indictment filed this week in 3rd District Court included the charges of intimating a witness, witness tampering, retaliation against a witness and second-degree terroristic threatening.

Miller’s next court appearance related to these additional charges is scheduled for July 21 at 11 a.m. in Kona Circuit Court.

Additionally, the 2019 indictment includes conspiracy charges in connection to a tipoff to Lance and Stacey Yamada, owners of Hilo’s Triple 7 arcade, about a gambling raid on their establishment on Aug. 10, 2017.

Overall, the former police detective is charged with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, second- and fourth-degree theft, obstructing government operations, two counts of second-degree hindering prosecution and four counts of tampering with physical evidence.

Miller’s next court appearance related to the May 2019 indictment is Aug. 14.