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
For Immediate Release
Contact: Elliot Enoki
October 17, 2008
STREET DEALERS IN WEED AND SEED SITE GUILTY
HONOLULU, HAWAII – A federal jury returned verdicts today finding Arnold Luna and Shana Galan, both of Honolulu, Hawaii, guilty of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine within one thousand feet of Honolulu Community College which is located within the Downtown/Kalihi Weed and Seed site. Arnold Luna was found guilty of one count of distributing approximately 0.027 grams of methamphetamine and Shana Galan was found guilty of one count of distributing approximately 0.046 grams of methamphetamine in the area near Kohou Street and North King Street in the expanded Weed and Seed site.
Ed Kubo, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, noted that during the 4-day trial, the evidence proved that Luna arranged for a twenty dollar methamphetamine sale between an undercover officer and his co-defendant, Geraldine Lara, who pleaded guilty last month and is pending sentencing. Galan handed twenty dollars worth of methamphetamine to Geraldine Lara, who sold it to the undercover officer.
Luna and Galan each face a possible forty year sentence with a mandatory minimum sentence of one year and a fine of up to two million dollars. Luna and Galan are scheduled to be sentenced February 9, 2009, by United States District Judge David Alan Ezra.
The case resulted from the Honolulu Police Department District 5 Crime Reduction Unit ’s response to community complaints of drug dealing in the area. The HPD operation resulted in 15 individuals charged in 7 indictments. To date, 10 individuals have pleaded guilty. U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo praised the police department for its continued vigilance in “weeding” crime in the community.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Florence Nakakuni.
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