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A 38-year-old Mexican national, who was arrested Dec. 17 on Maui, was sentenced to 171⁄2 years in federal prison for his role in a plan to distribute methamphetamine on Maui, the U.S. Attorney’s office for Hawaii announced Wednesday.
Chief District Judge Susan Oki Mollway sentenced Ruben Settle on Monday in federal court in Honolulu.
Settle pleaded guilty March 12 to possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Settle recruited others to help in distributing methamphetamine on Maui, including about 700 grams of the drug seized from him by Maui police Dec. 17, U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni said the evidence presented in court showed.
The court found at the sentencing hearing that Settle does not have legal authority to be in the United States, posed a threat to public safety due to the large amount of methamphetamine and has a long criminal record including prior drug convictions.
Settle will be deported to Mexico for the second time after completing his sentence. Maui police said Settle was a Los Angeles resident.