LIHUE — A Kauai woman was indicted in federal court Wednesday on drug and weapons charges that could potentially land her in jail for life.
Charges against Starsha Silva, 32, stem from an April 9 incident when she was allegedly caught with a small amount of methamphetamine and a Glock .40 caliber pistol, according to documents filed by federal prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Honolulu.
Silva is facing four felony counts, all of which carry mandatory minimum sentences. The most serious charge is for attempted possession of 50 grams or more of meth, a crime punishable by 10 years to life in prison.
She is also looking at at least five years in jail for two other counts: possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Five grams of meth on Kauai sells for about $300.
Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint in April, about two weeks after the date she was allegedly found with the pistol and the drugs, but that document, along with an arrest warrant issued the same day, remain sealed by the court.
Some clues about the events leading to the arrest can be found in the filings of a separate case federal prosecutors brought against Silva last year. In February 2018, Silva pleaded guilty to being an “unlawful user” of methamphetamine while possessing a loaded .22 caliber rifle “with a removed and obliterated serial number.”
She was given five years probation and released from custody, but Silva found herself in legal trouble once again, less than a year later. According to a written statement by her probation officer, Mark Nugent, Silva was living with her children and their father in Kekaha and worked for a rental car company for a while before getting laid off.
“Shortly thereafter, Ms. Silva was admitted to the hospital for chest pains, and she was scheduled for heart surgery in January,” Nugent wrote. “The day before her surgery, Ms. Silva was informed that her medical insurance had been terminated, and her surgery was postponed.”
The probation officer’s statement goes on to detail numerous instances in which Silva allegedly violated the terms of her supervised release, either admitting to using meth or failing to show up for scheduled drug tests.
“In summary, Ms. Silva continues to struggle with substance abuse and unstable housing,” Nugent wrote. “It is noted that Ms. Silva is being treated for her heart condition, and she is reportedly in need of heart surgery. However, her continued abuse of methamphetamine indicates that she has no regard for her own health.”
Even if acquitted on the most recent charges against her, Silva could still end up spending jail time for the crimes she was originally given probation for.
In a motion asking the court to postpone a hearing on Silva’s probation violations, U.S. District Attorney Marshall Silverberg wrote, “It appears the defendant grossly violated the trust given to her by the government and the court and she should be resentenced as if she were never given a sentence of probation.”
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Caleb Loehrer, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0441 or cloehrer@thegardenisland.com.
With a name like “Starsha,” how can you NOT end up doing most of your life in prison?
Feeling a tad superior, are we?
Is this a case where treatment for drug abuse is the answer in addition to incarceration? Otherwise we will spend years of incarceration money not to mention a wasted life.
I do not understand that authorities knew about her drug addiction problems and regarding the vast amounts of seized assets like cars, bank accounts, houses which law enforcement uses and abuses for their own agendas, yet do not provide drug treatment programs and other related treatments from these seized assets is a crime within itself, since it is not TAXPAYERs money.
But to send her directly to federal prison for drug related “crimes” that we as taxpayers pay for is unwarranted since cops are getting a free ticket from all these seized assets. The cops are the crimminals for abusing this blood money for themselves while being on taxpayers payroll
This reads like the epitome of the war against the poor…. Why haven’t the courts collaborated with Social services to help this woman with her MEDICAL COSTS AND REHAB?
SHAME ON HAWAII LAWMAKERS AND CONSTITUENTS…..
The private sector and religious groups are burdened by the incompetence and lack of moral fortitude of the people who are getting away with are tax dollars as salaries and pensions for jobs not fulfilled….
Please help this woman avoid an untimely death in prison!
Life in Federal Prison?!?!? The punishment is not fitting the crime here. This isn’t a career criminal drug dealer that created her own personal revolving door into the courtroom. Yes, by all means give her some time in jail for being an irresponsible human being and possessing a loaded firearm. Anyone that stupid and reckless should do time. A few years maybe. 5 even. But a LIFE sentence in Federal Prison ??!?!? Has the 8th Amendment been forgotten?