Honolulu's streets witnessed a dose of justice today as the Department of Justice's website detailed the sentencing of Ryan “Junior” Guzman, a local drug dealer caught distributing methamphetamine and possessing an illegal firearm, to 170 months in federal prison; the ruling was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson and marks a significant hit against the drug trafficking plaguing the Oahu community.
Guzman, 40, found himself ensnared in the law's embrace after he openly admitted to distributing a pound of methamphetamine on March 13, 2023, and to owning a “ghost gun” complete with 15 hollow point rounds during a June 2024 incident the events surrounding both these criminal activities are a stark reminder of the challenges faced by law enforcement in their endeavor to quell the flow of narcotics and the unrest brought upon by privately made firearms.
The united efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Honolulu Police Department brought Guzman's illicit enterprise to an end, reflecting the power of collaboration in the ongoing battle against illegal drugs and associated violence; the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers, according to the Justice Department's announcement.
Guzman's case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement and communities. This initiative, relaunched on May 26, 2021.
