Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Saturday, April 27, 2024 78° Today's Paper


Alleged Kurtistown meth dealer is indicted

Peter Boylan

A Kurtistown man was indicted by a federal grad jury for methamphetamine trafficking Thursday, nearly two weeks after agents executing a search warrant recovered more than $100,000 in cash, six firearms and evidence that he helped coordinate large shipments of drugs to Hawaii using the U.S. mail.

Johnathan S. Tai was indicted Thursday on three separate counts for conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and a firearm offense.

If convicted, Tai faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in federal prison on the methamphetamine charge and a mandatory term of five years in prison on the firearm charge.

The U.S. attorney’s office declined comment.

Federal agents recovered 240 gross grams of methamphetamine, more than 2,600 rounds of ammunition, more than $100,000 in U.S. currency and a bump-stock device allowing a shooter of a semi-automatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger from Tai’s Hawaii island home, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Also recovered was a semiautomatic 9 mm Springfield Armory handgun, 91 cannabis plants and five “ghost guns” — unserialized firearms that are often sold online as kits and assembled at home.

U.S. Postal Inspectors and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Hawaii County Police and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations continue to investigate.

In an affidavit filed in support of the initial criminal complaint against Tai, U.S. Postal Inspector Brian W. Shaughnessy, who has worked more than 100 financial fraud and 57 drug cases, said that on May 6 he obtained surveillance footage of an individual with a strong resemblance to Tai picking up two packages from the Mountain View Post Office — one weighing 8 pounds and 10 ounces and the other weighing 6 pounds and 3 ounces — sent from La Verne, Calif.

The weight was almost identical to two parcels seized by investigators during a May 4 search.

Tai allegedly admitted to investigators that through his P.O. box in Mountain View, he received six packages of methamphetamine that he bought for $8,000 a pound which he flipped and sold for $14,000 a pound.

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines. Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.