HONOLULU — A federal jury found Roman Gabriel Contreras, 44, of Ontario, California, guilty on drug charges July 6 after a three-day trial in United States District Court in Honolulu. Contreras was found guilty of attempted possession with intent to
HONOLULU — A federal jury found Roman Gabriel Contreras, 44, of Ontario, California, guilty on drug charges July 6 after a three-day trial in United States District Court in Honolulu.
Contreras was found guilty of attempted possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine.
Contrertas, who used a false name, flew to Kauai from Los Angeles on March 24 with three plastic containers hidden within a bag he checked in, according to Florence T. Nakakuni of the U.S Attorney for the District of Hawaii.
Evidence shows that the three containers held mostly pure methamphetamine and were discovered by Drug Enforcement Administration agents who executed a search warrant on March 25 for Contreras’s bags.
Evidence also showed that Contreras attempted to avoid a DEA agent and Kauai Police Department Officers after he left the California flight at Lihue airport, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Contreras is facing a lifetime in prison with a mandatory minimum 20-year service when he is sentenced by District Judge Derrick K. Watson on Oct. 21.
Contreras also has a prior conviction for promoting methamphetamine.
The investigation was undertaken by the Kauai Police Department and the DEA.
