Kaua Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking Charge

Forty-year-old John Kaua pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a count of Second Degree Attempted Methamphetamine Trafficking, according to Prosecuting Attorney Charlene Iboshi on Thursday. The guilty plea comes with a ten year prison term, handed down by Judge Greg K. Nakamura.

The Hilo resident was stopped on November 18 of last year when police pulled him over for failing to stop at a traffic light at the intersections of Kilauea Avenue and Mohouli Street. During that stop, a drug detection dog picked up the presence of drugs in Kaua’s vehicle.

After obtaining a search warrant, police found 1.9 grams of meth in his pocket. In his vehicle, Kaua had 12 more packets weighing 5 grams total, along with 12 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and other drug related items.

Three days after the traffic stop, Kaua was charged with a Third Degree Complaint with Promoting a Dangerous Drug, two counts of Second Degree Prohibited Acts Related to Drug Paraphernalia, Second Degree Promotion of a Dangerous Drug, Third Degree Promotion of a Detrimental Drug, and First Degree Attempted Methamphetamine Trafficking.

Kaua will be eligible for parole during his prison sentence, but because of his prior criminal history, which was not released to the media, Kaua will have to serve twenty months before being eligible.