Ex-Halawa prison guard gets 4 years for smuggling meth

A former Halawa Correctional Facility guard was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday for accepting bribes to smuggle drugs into the facility.

James "Kimo" Sanders III, 32, is the second former Halawa prison guard to be sentenced for smuggling contraband into the facility in just over a year. Two more former Halawa guards are awaiting trial for alleged crimes at Halawa.

Toni Schwartz, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety, said several investigations are underway that could result in charges against more prison staff. "We’re not going to stop looking," Schwartz said.

Ted Sakai, director of public safety, said in a statement that recent efforts to root out corruption and drug dealing are paying off with the charges.

"The investigations are ongoing and will continue until we are satisfied that this kind of corruption has been stamped out," he said.

Sanders apologized to his family and the government Thursday before he was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Helen Gillmor.

"I take full responsibility for what I have done," Sanders told Gillmor. "I always wanted to be one (correctional officer). I fell short."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake asked for a 57-month prison sentence because Sanders was regularly smuggling methamphetamine into the prison, at least every other week.

She said smuggling contraband into the prison places other guards at risk, and a longer sentence would send a message to other prison guards.

Gillmor sentenced Sanders to four years each for one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of bribery. The sentences will be served concurrently.

According to court documents, Sanders accepted $5,000 in November to smuggle packages of tobacco supposedly containing methamphetamine into Halawa. During the same meeting, he sold 2 ounces of meth for $3,200.

Sanders, who pleaded guilty March 18, was hired as an adult corrections officer in January 2012 and resigned Feb. 5.

In June 2013 former Halawa guard John Joseph Kalei Hall was sentenced to one year and one month for smuggling cigarettes into the prison and selling them to gang members for $500 per carton.

Former Halawa guard Feso Malufau was indicted in September on a racketeering charge involving the USO Family prison gang, which allegedly bribed personnel, distributed drugs and assaulted other inmates. His trial is set for September.

In January another Halawa guard was charged with distributing methamphetamine. Mark Damas allegedly accepted bribes to smuggle meth into Halawa. His trial is set for August.