Drug trafficker found guilty of conspiracy, attempted possession of methamphetamine

After a four-day jury trial before Senior United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway, a federal jury yesterday found Luis Miguel Castro Alavez, 31, of Mexico, guilty of conspiracy and attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2024.

According to the evidence presented at trial, during at least June 15, 2023 to June 28, 2023, Castro Alavez conspired with persons in Hawai‘i, California and Mexico to distribute methamphetamine in Hawai‘i.

Castro Alavez flew from California to Hilo, stayed in a vacation rental, and waited for a shipment of methamphetamine to arrive in the mail from his co-conspirators in California. On June 28, the landlord of the vacation rental, upon partially opening the parcel after its arrival, discovered suspected drugs and contacted Hawai‘i County Police, who arrested Castro Alavez later that day.

Prior to the arrival of the parcel, Castro Alavez wired payments from Hilo to his co-conspirators in Mexico and mailed cash packed into chocolate boxes to his co-conspirators in California. Both counts carry a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life in prison.

Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawai‘i County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Albanese and Gregg Paris Yates prosecuted the case.