A federal magistrate judge yesterday ordered a Honolulu police officer held without bail pending his trial on a federal drug charge.

U.S. Magistrate Leslie Kobayashi turned down a request by federal Assistant Public Defender Pamela Byrne to release officer James Corn Jr. to his grandmother and father and to have him remain under house arrest and electronic monitoring until he goes to trial .

Corn, who is now on leave without pay, was arrested Aug. 25 and charged with possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a $4 million fine.

He is accused of accepting $1,000 to provide protection for a 2-pound crystal methamphetamine deal in a sting operation set up by undercover officers.

Byrne argued that Corn should be released from the Federal Detention Center adjacent to Hono-lulu International Airport because he was born and raised in Hawai'i, has strong family ties here, is the father of a 3-month-old baby and has the support of members of his church.

Byrne described Corn's behavior during the past year, which includes allegations of terroristic threatening and property damage, as "aberrant" and said the incidents were directly related to "his alcohol and drug use." She said Corn's grandmother and father were willing to serve as his custodians if he were to be granted pretrial release status and that Corn's father was willing to sign a $50,000 signature bond on his son's behalf.

Corn is in solitary confinement at the detention center, Byrne said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Muehleck, who is prosecuting the case, told the judge Corn should be held without bail because he is a flight risk and a danger to the community.

Muehleck said Corn appears to have problems with "violence and anger management" that sent his girlfriend to a hospital emergency room for treatment and resulted in an assault on the girlfriend's former boyfriend.

Muehleck said Corn used his police billy club to smash in the windshield of the former boyfriend's car. He said that Corn "by his own admission used cocaine until very recently."

Although she denied the request to release Corn on bail, the judge told Byrne she would be willing to reconsider the matter after mental health and drug dependency experts evaluate him.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.