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
January 23, 2009
KAUAI RESIDENT CONVICTED OF FIREARMS OFFENSES
HONOLULU, HAWAII - On Thursday, January 22, 2009, after a four-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Helen Gillmor, a Honolulu jury returned guilty verdicts against Kauai resident Darwin Leones, age 27, for federal firearms trafficking and possession offenses. Chief Judge Gillmor set sentencing for May 7, 2009.
United States Attorney Edward H. Kubo, Jr. said that Leones was convicted of conspiring to barter and bartering three firearms, a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson revolver, .38 caliber Charter Arms revolver, and a .38 caliber Bellmore-Johnson Tool Company derringer, for methamphetamine, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and (o). Leones was also convicted of unlawful possession (as a felon) of the same three firearms, and, possession of methamphetamine. Leones' co-defendant, Reynaldo Sembrano, Jr., also from Kauai, previously pled guilty in November 2008 to bartering one of the firearms for methamphetamine and possessing of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
The charges against Leones and Sembrano arose from a federal investigation of California methamphetamine trafficker Dennis McHugh, Jr. Last year, McHugh and a third Kauai resident, Stuart Merkel, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute approximately two pounds of methamphetamine on Kauai in May 2007. Evidence presented at Leones' trial showed that Leones and Sembrano traded the three firearms to McHugh for approximately one-half ounce of methamphetamine. Leones faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the conspiracy offense, up to ten years imprisonment on the felon-in-possession offense, up to two years imprisonment on the methamphetamine offense, and a mandatory minimum term of five years imprisonment on the bartering offense, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. Sembrano and McHugh are each awaiting sentencing. Merkel was sentenced in October 2008 to a prison term of 127 months.
The investigation in this matter was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Kauai Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lou Bracco.
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