Federal authorities have charged a 55-year-old man with firearm and meth-trafficking offenses connected to the March 24 shootout at his Makaha home that left one man dead.

Keith K. Kuraoka made his initial appearance Tuesday before Magistrate Kevin S.C. Chang. He remains in custody pending an 11 a.m. detention hearing Tuesday before Magistrate Barry Kurren. Kuraoka's preliminary hearing in Kurren's court is scheduled May 1.

Randy Oyama, Kuraoka's attorney, and assistant U.S. attorney Loretta Sheehan declined comment as two complaints against Kuraoka filed at federal court April 12 were still sealed.

Kuraoka was arrested Monday at 6:45 p.m. on Hakeakea Street in Ma'ili without incident on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives warrant by Honolulu police officer Glenn Freitas and federal agents.

A police homicide investigation into the shooting death of suspected armed robber Jason H. Sylva, 28, and the federal charges are related to the shootout at Kuraoka's Mai'u'u Road residence.

Lt. Bill Kato, head of HPD's homicide investigations, said investigators are still trying to find two men who were with Sylva. Police said the three men had tried to break in to Kuraoka's home. A neighbor told police she heard four or five shots fired and saw two men, one of them carrying a gun, run away from the house. The men left in a tan, four-door sedan.

Sylva was found lying in a pool of blood at the far end of a gravel drive. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest. A shotgun was found nearby.

Kuraoka told police at the scene he acted in self-defense but gave no further statements to police on the advice of his attorney following his arrest on suspicion of second-degree murder. Kuraoka was released without charges about 24 hours after his arrest.

Police said they seized a .22-caliber rifle, which may not have been registered, and crystal methamphetamine in a warrant search of Kuraoka's home.

Kuraoka has three convictions, according to Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center records. The Project Safe Neighborhoods law allows U.S. prosecutors to bring cases involving illegal gun use to federal court. The maximum penalty is 10 years in jail, and there are no second chances under this program.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.