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Ex-Halawa guard pleads guilty to meth smuggling

A former guard at the Halawa Correctional Facility is pleading guilty to smuggling methamphetamine into the prison.

Mark Damas pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Honolulu to charges involving meth distribution conspiracy and receiving bribes.

Damas told the judge he got drugs from the outside and delivered them to inmates inside the prison. He says he accepted at least $5,000 in bribes.

A criminal complaint filed in January says he also took bribes to smuggle in other items such as cigarettes, lighters and drug paraphernalia.

State Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Toni Schwartz says Damas was fired from his job in April for bringing contraband into the facility.

Damas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison when he’s sentenced Nov. 10.

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