Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner Darren Benitez has been charged with felony drug offenses after police reported finding contraband in luggage he had checked in at Kahului Airport last year.
During his arraignment Thursday in 2nd Circuit Court, Benitez pleaded not guilty to charges of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. A May 4 pretrial conference is scheduled for him.
Benitez, 50, of Waianae, Oahu, was arrested the night of Nov. 15 after a Transportation Security Administration screener opened a guitar case Benitez had checked in and found a black waist pack containing a glass smoking pipe with suspected crystal methamphetamine residue and a plastic packet containing what appeared to be crystal methamphetamine, according to police.
In court Thursday, Benitez was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs, and to report for random drug testing.
Benitez, who is also known as Clifford Darren Benitez, is known for the song “Mother of the Sea.” He won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award in 1996 for Most Promising Artist of the Year.
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