Hawaii man sentenced to 17 ½ years for methamphetamine trafficking

HONOLULU – A Mexican national who is in the U.S. illegally was sentenced Wednesday to 210 months in federal prison for his key role in a large-scale scheme to distribute methamphetamine on the island of Maui.

Ruben Settle, 38, pleaded guilty March 12 to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maui Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii.

According to court documents, Settle recruited other individuals to assist him in distributing methamphetamine on Maui, including more than a pound of "ice" seized by Maui police officers in December 2014. 

At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Settle posed a threat to public safety based on the large amount of methamphetamine involved and his extensive criminal history, which included previous drug convictions.

After completing his sentence, Settle will be subject to removal from the U.S.