Dad held pakalolo for others, arrested man’s daughter says

The daughter of a Hawaii island man charged with several felony counts related to the distribution and possession of marijuana said her father was involved in an effort to assist medical marijuana patients and caregivers.

Michael Ruggles, 58, was arrested Thursday at his home in Fern Acres after police officers executing a search warrant at the Pikake Street house found 134 marijuana plants, 49.3 pounds of dried processed marijuana, 1.2 pounds and 357 capsules of suspected marijuana concentrate, 5.5 pounds of marijuana edibles, $1,846 in cash, a loaded pistol, a loaded shotgun and a 15-round magazine for a pistol.

Police initially charged Ruggles with 30 counts related to his alleged marijuana operation and firearms.

Ruggles made an initial court appearance Monday,  during which his bail was reduced to $36,000 from $84,500. The Hawaii County prosecutor’s office said Monday that charges have been consolidated into six felony counts, including two of first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana, two prohibited acts of drug paraphernalia and one each of first-degree promotion of a harmful drug and first-degree promotion of a detrimental drug.

In an email to the news media, Jennifer Ruggles described her father as a medical marijuana patient and an activist who operates Alternative Pain Management Pu‘uhonua Collective.

She said her father owned just seven marijuana plants, which is the state’s legal limit for medical marijuana users. The rest of the marijuana was slated for transfer to other medical marijuana patients, Jennifer Ruggles said.

The prosecuting attorney’s office declined to discuss details of the case.