Press Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Hawaii
PJKK Federal Building (808) 541-2850
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 6-100 FAX (808) 541-2958
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850
May 22, 2007
For Immediate Release
P R E S S R E L E A S E
On May 17, 2007, the remaining two defendants in a prison drug smuggling ring were sentenced by the Honorable Helen Gillmor, Chief District Judge for the District of Hawaii. ROBERT KUPAHU (31), a resident of Honolulu, was sentenced to 175 months for possessing prohibited items in prison and for his role as an organizer in the conspiracy to smuggle methamphetamine and marijuana into the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. KEOKI ASTRONOMO (36), a resident of Lahaina, received 100 months for his possession of controlled substances and for his participation in the conspiracy.
Edward H. Kubo, Jr., United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that according to information produced in connection with the case, both defendants were incarcerated at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the time they enlisted the assistance of family members and a federal corrections officer in their scheme. ROBERT KUPAHU’s wife, Gabrielle Kupahu, and his brother, John Hawi Kupahu, were charged with providing prohibited objects to inmates in separate informations. GABRIELLE KUPAHU is currently serving a 25-month term of imprisonment and JOHN HAWI KUPAHU is serving a sentence of 32 months. KEOKI ASTRONOMO’s mother, MARLENE ASTRONOMO, a resident of Lahaina, also pled guilty to providing prohibited objects to inmates, and was sentenced on May 1, 2007, to three years probation and a $2,500 fine. In addition, former federal corrections officer AKONI SANDOVAL KAPIHE (28), a resident of Honolulu, was sentenced on May 3, 2007, to a term of 33 months imprisonment for providing prohibited objects to inmates at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, while he was employed there as a corrections officer.
This criminal investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clare Connors.
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