Mexico man sentenced to 12-plus years in U.S. District Court for drugs, firearms, immigration charges

A 49-year-old Mexico man and two-time convicted felon was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Honolulu to more than a decade in prison for dealing drugs and possessing a loaded firearm while being in the United States — on the Big Island — illegally.

Juan Carlos Espinoza Lopez was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson to more than 12 years for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, being an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm and ammunition and illegal re-entry into the country.

Espinoza Lopez pleaded guilty to the charges Dec. 17, 2024, as part of a plea agreeement.

His prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Espinoza Lopez in his plea agreement admitted he is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on four occasions, mostly recently in 2022.

He later re-entered the country and traveled to Hawai‘i, where he was arrested in April 2024 in Ocean View.

Espinoza Lopez was in possession of and intended to distribute 176 grams of meth and 184 grams of heroin at the time of his arrest. He also had a Colt AR-15 rifle, which was loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition.

Watson explained during Espinoza Lopez’s sentencing that dealing drugs, which was poisoning the community, was aggravated by the defendant’s possession of a loaded firearm as well as his illegal presence in the country.

The judge further noted Espinoza Lopez’s two prior felony convictions made it “difficult” to accept his statement of remorse.

“We will not tolerate those who exploit our borders, endanger our citizens and profit from the addiction, misery and violence that accompany the trafficking of drugs in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for Hawai‘i in an announcement about Espinoza Lopez’s sentencing.

The case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and Hawai’i Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted the case.