Woodrow "Blue" Poepoe, 53, of Hoolehua, was arrested on May 19, the day after police received a federal warrant charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and being a drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The Maui Police Department Special Response Team, led by Lt. Gregory Moniz, assisted Molokai police in executing the warrant for Poepoe's arrest.

When they arrived at Poepoe's home, officers found two people sitting in a car and waiting for Poepoe, said Capt. Victor Ramos, commander of the Molokai Patrol District. He said police received permission to search the car belonging to one of the occupants, finding a glass pipe containing a measurable amount of crystal methamphetamine.

The two car occupants, both 20-year-old Hoolehua residents, were released pending further investigation of drug charges.

Officers also found a loaded .22-caliber rifle on the floorboard of Poepoe's vehicle, Ramos said.

While police records show Poepoe was released pending further investigation of gun and drug charges, he was held on the federal warrant. He was flown to Honolulu and held at the federal detention center before being released on a $25,000 bond after a May 23 court hearing. He has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, with a trial set for July 24.

Court records show Poepoe was indicted May 17 by a federal grand jury in connection with his arrest April 26 on Molokai.

That day, Molokai patrol officer Kyle Bishaw-Juario approached a vehicle parked at Homelani Cemetery, making contact with Poepoe and Adam Anglin, according to police.

When Poepoe quickly got out of his car as the officer approached, Bishaw-Juario saw a loaded semiautomatic rifle on the floorboard, police reported. The officer drew his gun, detaining both Poepoe and Anglin until other officers arrived.

The officers found both men in possession of substances suspected to be crystal methamphetamine, police said.

Police records show Anglin, 34, of Kaunakakai, was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Poepoe faced those charges, as well as firearm counts, before the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms initiated the federal case.

According to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, Poepoe has convictions for crimes including second-degree burglary in 1981 and robbery in 1976.