A California man pleaded guilty Thursday to participating in a drug ring, admitting that he hid methamphetamine in a vehicle he shipped to Hawaii.

As part of a plea agreement, Eric Castro, 34, is expected to receive a 10-year sentence on Jan. 12. 

Castro of Galt, Calif., was part of a drug ring that dealt 60 pounds of meth in Hawaii between 2001 and 2005, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Thomas said. Castro stored 8.5 pounds of the drug inside the engine of a Jeep Cherokee he shipped from California to the Big Island in 2005, according to court documents. 

The arrests of Castro and his three co-defendants put a dent in Hawaii’s drug trade, Thomas said. 

"The case did have an impact on drug distribution on the Big Island," he said outside of court.