Hawaii jury convicts California man in methamphetamine trafficking case

HONOLULU – Following a nine-day trial, a federal jury in Hawaii deliberated for less than a day before convicting a California man late Friday of methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges arising from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Alan L. Mapuatuli, 44, of Long Beach, California, was found guilty of distribution of crystal methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He now faces a mandatory term of life in prison without parole when he is sentenced May 19 by U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan M. F. Loo and Michael K. Kawahara

According to evidence introduced in court, Mapuatuli sought to sell an informant a pound of methamphetamine. That transaction was monitored and recorded by federal agents. Mapuatuli was stopped as he drove away from the meeting. When special agents searched Mapuatuli’s vehicle, they found the cellphone he had used to communicate with the informant, a black Adidas backpack containing six ounces of crystal methamphetamine, more than $15,000 in cash, and a loaded, .45 caliber pistol.