Honolulu
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Published on January 25, 2025
Honolulu Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years for Drug Trafficking and Operating Illegal Gambling RingsSource: Unsplash/ Wesley Tingey

In a decisive move by federal authorities, Honolulu resident Maliu Tauheluhelu has been handed a 200-month prison sentence following his guilty plea on charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and operating illegal gambling rings. U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake issued the sentence, setting Tauheluhelu on a path of 5 years of supervised release post-imprisonment. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the 40-year-old admitted to the crimes dating between 2020 and 2022, with distributions extending from Oahu to Maui.

Tauheluhelu's plea on February 15, 2024, acknowledged his collaboration with co-defendants Maafu Pani, Touanga Niu, and Desmond Morris in these illegal activities. Details from the investigation reveal that he was responsible for obtaining and arranging multi-pound shipments of the illicit substances for Hawaiian distribution. Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson was straightforward in his assertion, "This sentence demonstrates that those who traffic dangerous drugs and operate illegal game rooms will face serious consequences." He emphasized the importance of holding criminal enterprises accountable for the safety of the community.

The case was not isolated to Tauheluhelu alone; it involved a wider circle of complicity. Pani was sentenced to 192 months, Niu received a 30-month term, and Morris a 72-month sentence, as the Department of Justice confirmed. Each admitted to their respective parts in the drug trafficking and illegal gambling operations—proving the reach and organized nature of their criminal enterprise. Tauheluhelu, in particular, ran multiple illicit gambling venues in Oahu, including an establishment on Queen Street and a "VIP room" within his own Staxx Sports Bar & Grill in Waianae.

FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter lauded the effort to bring down the criminal outfit as a testament to "years of collaboration among multiple law enforcement agencies." He promised to tirelessly work, in coordination with local, state, and federal partners, to protect communities from similar threats. "The FBI—in coordination with our partners across all levels of government—will continue to use every available resource to protect our communities and bring these criminal enterprises to justice," Porter told the press.

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier also commended the collective endeavor for sending "a clear and decisive message: criminal enterprises that exploit and endanger our communities should think twice, as there is zero tolerance for such actions." Indeed, community safety is paramount, and this operation affirms the agencies' dedication towards ensuring it, as reflected in their concerted efforts.

The successful outcome of the Tauheluhelu case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, designed to disrupt and dismantle high-level criminal organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Nammar led the prosecution, supported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Maui Police Department Task Force Officers, and other federal agencies, in a cooperative stand against drug trafficking and illegal gambling—the type of alliance that renews faith in the rule of law and its keepers.