Police: Kauai Councilman Had ‘Gunman’ was Meth Kingpin
KHON: … (Sitting Kauai County Councilmember Arthur) Brun faces more charges than any of the other defendants, including the most serious offenses like conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
(Editor's Note: Brun is still on the council and is still getting paid his salary.)
He is charged with 10 counts of drug offenses stemming from a sting operation done by Kauai police and federal law enforcement. The indictment unsealed Thursday says Brun had a pound of methamphetamine on him when stopped by a Kauai police officer back in October. Brun is also accused of hitting the officer in that traffic stop.
The indictment says he “threw the methamphetamine out of his car window while fleeing. Unbeknownst to Brun, the Kaua’i Police Department recovered the methamphetamine.”
Records say the next day, a co-defendant called Brun looking for the drugs and he said, “Maybe was more down because I think I was around one corner when I did um, so nobody was really following me.”
Two days later, another defendant asked Brun about getting more meth. And Brun replied, “Yeah trying to get right now but nobody like give me.”
Records show Brun had also asked about getting an unregistered gun for someone described as Brun’s gunman. Brun said, “My friend coming from Oahu he like go hunt that’s why… (he’s) not going get caught I promise.” ….
CB: They tapped Brun’s cell phone and gathered video and audio evidence. In all, officers seized four kilos of meth and thousands of dollars in cash from those involved.
SA: Indictment of Kauai councilman sends message that no one is above the law, U.S. Attorney says
KHON: Brun has hired attorney Rustam Barbee, who also represented former HPD chief Louis Kealoha
HNN: Embattled Kauai Councilman accused of using drugs to pay for sex, feds say
PDF: Federal indictment
PDF: Kauai County Charter (No impeachment process. Recall election could be called if 20% of registered voters sign petition--but only for 4-year officials. Council members reelected every 2 years. See pg 55-56)
KGI Feb 29, 2020: "… On Kaua‘i, some community members are rallying to remove Brun from office, a proposition that isn’t easy because the Kaua‘i County Charter doesn’t specifically provide for impeachment of those serving two-year terms unless they’ve broken the county’s code of ethics...."
read … Kauai Councilman Arthur Brun indicted for federal drug offenses after sting operation
Background:
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Sitting Kauai County Councilmember and Eleven Others Charged with Participation in a Drug Trafficking Organization
Charges Include Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Witness Tampering, Evidence Tampering, and Firearm Offenses
News Release from US DoJ, February 28, 2020
KAUAI, Hawaii – Kenji M. Price, the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, Jonathan E. Blais, Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), Todd Raybuck, Chief of the Kauai Police Department (“KPD”), and Lucia Cabral-Dearmas, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Honolulu Office (“HSI”) announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging ARTHUR BRUN, and 11 other defendants with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. The Indictment also charges substantive drug trafficking offenses, an assault on a federal law enforcement officer, witness tampering, evidence tampering, and firearm offenses. As alleged in the Indictment, BRUN participated in these offenses while serving as an elected member of the Kauai County Council.
Eleven of the defendants were arrested yesterday and will be arraigned in federal court later today before the Honorable Rom Trader, United States Magistrate Judge. The twelfth defendant, ORLANDO MANGUCHEI, was already in federal custody serving a sentence for violating the terms of supervised release.
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed yesterday[1]:
From at least June 2019, and continuing to in or about January 2020, ARTHUR BRUN, aka “Ata,” MALUELUE UMU, aka “Malu,” KELVIN KAUWILA KAI, aka “Kauwila,” STEVEN KELIIKULI, KANIU HUIHUI, SHEENA MILLARE, EFREN YANOS, KIRSTEN MAKANOE AYAU, aka “Makanoe,” ORLANDO MANGUCHEI, aka “Ole,” ROBBY SILVA, HAIDEE SUEYASU, and PHRYSTAL BACIO, the defendants, and others known and unknown, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
BRUN ran this drug trafficking conspiracy while, at the same time, serving as an elected member of the Kauai County Council and the Vice Chair of its Public Safety & Human Services Committee. One of BRUN’s suppliers of methamphetamine was UMU, who was a “shot caller,” or leader, of the United Samoan Organization, a gang that operates both inside and outside of the prison system in the State of Hawaii.
On or about October 29, 2019, BRUN assaulted a state law enforcement officer who was acting in cooperation with and under the control of federal officers. BRUN committed this assault during a traffic stop in an effort to conceal methamphetamine that he had in his possession at the time. The officer asked BRUN to get out of his car and gave him other instructions. Instead of complying with the officer’s commands, BRUN placed the vehicle in drive and sped off, injuring the police officer, who had his hand and shoulder in the car as he tried to remove the keys from the ignition. BRUN then led the police on a high speed chase during which he threw a backpack containing approximately one pound of methamphetamine out of the car.
After the assault, BRUN made efforts to conceal the methamphetamine to avoid its use in any official proceeding by attempting to corruptly persuade another person to provide false information to the KPD about the ownership of the backpack.
Multiple defendants possessed or conspired to possess firearms or ammunition. In January 2020, KELIIKULI possessed a Smith and Wesson .38 Special, and six rounds of ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony. Also in January 2020, SILVA possessed various sizes, calibers, and types of ammunition after having been convicted of a felony. In about October 2019, BRUN conspired to supply a firearm and ammunition to MANGUCHEI, despite both men having previously been convicted of a felony.
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Charts containing the name, ages, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
U.S. Attorney Price praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF, KPD, and HSI. He also thanked the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Van Demark and Micah Smith are handling the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
LINK: Chart
DRUGS IN HAWAII POLITICS:
Gabbard:
Tsuneyoshi:
DPP
Hanabusa:
Billy Kenoi: