Oahu Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Trafficking Carfentanil and Possession of Ammunition

Star Adv: “Hong-Ah Nee’s father was a career criminal, his mother died when he was less than a year old and he is a drug addict, his attorney, Randall K. Hironaka, told Senior U.S. District Judge J.Michael Seabright in a sentencing memo Jan. 8.  Hong-Ah Nee had an ‘extremely rough time in the foster care system’ and ran away multiple times. He was physically and mentally abused for a good portion of his ‘fractured youth’ and admits he may live with mental health issues.”

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, Wednesday, January 14, 2026

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Travis Kalani Hong-Ah Nee, 36, of Oahu, was sentenced on January 12 in federal court by Senior United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright to a total of 78 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carfentanil, possessing with intent to distribute carfentanil, and possessing ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.  Hong-Ah Nee has been detained since his initial arrest in this case on November 17, 2023.

According to court records, on November 17, 2023, Hong-Ah Nee was pulled over by a Honolulu Police Officer and then fled at a high rate of speed, later collided with an unmarked police car and left the scene, and subsequently led officers on a foot pursuit. When he was apprehended by law enforcement, Hong-Ah Nee was found to be in possession of carfentanil as well as a loaded ghost gun, also known as a privately made firearm.  Hong-Ah Nee later admitted he was part of a conspiracy that was acquiring controlled substances through the U.S. mail and was engaged in the distribution of carfentanil on Oahu.  At sentencing, Hong-Ah Nee was held responsible for over 50 grams of carfentanil.  

Carfentanil is a fentanyl analogue that is used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals.  The lethal dose range for carfentantil in humans is unknown; however, carfentanil is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which can be lethal at the 2-milligram range, depending on route of administration and other factors.

Hong-Ah Nee is one of eleven defendants charged in three separate indictments for crimes related to the operation of a trans-Pacific drug trafficking network, nine of whom have pled guilty with the remaining awaiting trial.  The overall investigation yielded seizures of more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, several kilograms of fentanyl and carfentanil, eight firearms, ammunition, and over $150,000 in cash.

Hong-Ah Nee was charged in a standalone superseding indictment and is the fifth defendant of eleven to be sentenced.  Those charged in other related indictments have been sentenced as follows:

• On April 30, 2025, Shawn Pauahi Santana was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to distributing methamphetamine.
• On December 10, 2025, Faith Michelle Nelson was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• On December 16, 2025, Francis Anthony Abergas, Jr. was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.
• On January 8, 2026, Trish Leila Henderson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui Police Departments, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar is prosecuting the case.

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