Waialua Brothers Convicted Of Methamphetamine Trafficking

HONOLULU – After a five day trial in United States District Court in Honolulu, a federal jury today found Jacob Drummondo-Farias, 30, of Waialua, guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess, with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine between 2011 and January, 2012. Earlier during the trial, on November 8, 2013, Drummondo-Farias’ brother and co-defendant, Joshua Lew, 28, also of Waialua, pled guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess, with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The jury acquitted Drummondo-Farias of a second charge of a distribution of approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine in December 2010.

Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that according to evidence presented at trial Drummondo-Farias and Lew agreed with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine that was sent from California, via express mail services, to Honolulu during 2011 and 2012. The evidence also reflected that Drummondo-Farias and Lew orchestrated the shipment of 852 grams of methamphetamine which was intercepted at the Honolulu Airport on January 26, 2012 by federal law enforcement authorities.

Lew faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum ten year term of imprisonment. Drummondo-Farias also faces up to life in prison, however, because he was previously convicted of a federal drug felony, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment. Both defendants will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright on February 24, 2014.

The investigation which resulted in the charges in the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Postal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Inciong handled the prosecution.