Kona Woman Arrested, Charged After Police Recover Drugs With Estimated Street Value of $300K

A Big Island woman is facing a litany of drug and firearms charges following her arrest at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport.

According to a news release from the county prosecutor’s office, 44-year-old Jennifer Conway of Kona is being charged for possession and the attempted distribution of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of firearms following her April 21 arrest.

Conway was charged with 16 offenses, including four counts of first-degree promoting a dangerous drug, three counts of first-degree attempted promotion of a dangerous drug, two counts of second-degree promoting a dangerous drug, three counts of third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia, ownership or possession of firearm prohibited, ownership or possession of ammunition prohibited and registration mandatory.

Conway made her initial appearance Monday, April 25, in Kona District Court. Her bail was maintained at $412,000, and she was ordered to appear Wednesday, April 27, for a preliminary hearing.

According to court records, Conway is currently on supervised release for another unrelated pending felony matter.

The investigation was a joint effort by the Hawai‘i Police Department Area II Vice Section and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuting by the Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

A media release from police said Conway was arrested and charged after a month-long collaborative drug trafficking investigation that spanned between the Big Island and Washington state.

“During the course of their investigation, police executed search warrants on Conway’s luggage, person, vehicle and residence, recovering approximately 800 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, approximately 50 grams of suspected heroin and approximately 2,700 fentanyl pills, two fraudulent identification cards and an unregistered 45-caliber pistol,” said the police release.

The recovered drugs have an estimated street value of $300,000.