Full Notification

Media Release

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged 31-year-old Dylan Jessen Gapp, of Kea‘au, with an array of firearms offenses and violation of a court order.

On Friday afternoon, upon conferral with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the Area I Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) charged Gapp with the following offenses:

• Four counts ownership or possession firearm prohibited
• Three counts ownership or possession ammunition prohibited
• Manufacturing, purchasing, or obtaining firearm parts to assemble a firearm having no serial number (ghost gun)
• Criminally negligent storage of a firearm
• Place to keep pistol or revolver
• Place to keep ammunition
• Carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway
• Two counts violation of an order for protection

Total bail for these charges was set at $67,000.

Gapp was also arrested and charged on the strength of a warrant for the offense of Failure to Appear, stemming from a previous terroristic threatening case. Bail for the warrant was set at $10,000.

The charges against Gapp stem from two separate incidents involving firearms. The initial incident occurred on April 6, 2024, when Gapp was arrested and charged for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (DUI) and other traffic-related offenses. Following the arrest, a business on Manono Street in Hilo reported to police finding a loaded pistol and other personal items within a public restroom. Review of the businesses video surveillance identified Gapp as the suspect in that case. Based on that information and being that Gapp is prohibited from possessing a firearm, the Area I Crime Reduction Unit obtained a search warrant for Gapp’s Hawaiian Paradise Park home.

On Friday morning, April 12, 2024, the Area I Crime Reduction Unit, along with the department’s Special Response Team (SRT) executed the warrant at Gapp’s residence.

Upon initial execution of the search warrant, Gapp was not home; however, he returned to the residence a short time later and voluntarily surrendered to police without incident at 10:05 a.m.

A search of Gapp’s residence lead to the recovery of a loaded un-serialized AR-15 type rifle (ghost gun) and various caliber ammunition.   

There were no reported injuries to Gapp or police personnel.

Gapp remains in police custody in lieu of $77,000 bail. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday afternoon, April 15, 2024, in Hilo District Court.

Anyone who may have information regarding either of these incidents is asked to call Officer Spencer Thomas of the Area I Crime Reduction Unit, at (808) 961-2272 or via email at [email protected].