Kailua man sentenced to nearly 45 years imprisonment for drug conspiracy, money laundering

A 39-year-old man from Kailua was sentenced to nearly 45 years in prison Thursday after leading a drug conspiracy in Hawaii.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson sentenced Justin Wilcox, 39, who is also known as Justin Kaanoi or Ali’i, to concurrent terms of 295 months and 240 months for his conspiracies to distribute and possess methamphetamine and cocaine and commit money laundering.

Based on court documents, Wilcox was described as the Oahu organizer and leader of a Hawaii drug conspiracy that involved more than five members who were supplied with drugs from a source in Las Vegas.

Wilcox’s participation in the drug conspiracy began sometime in 2015 and lasted until June 2016.

The sentencing court determined Wilcox to be responsible for the possession and distribution of 3,880 grams of methamphetamine and 1,393 grams of cocaine.

The court also found that he used his Kailua clothing company “Armed and Dangerous” to launder the cash from his drug proceeds, and will have to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $127,000 for those proceeds.

Eight people total were convicted for participating in the drug conspiracy, and another was convicted of related drug charges. All were sentenced to at least 41 months imprisonment, and five, including Wilcox, were sentenced to more than 10 years.

Federal law enforcement officers seized 8.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.39 kilograms of cocaine, more than $160,000 in cash, two firearms and ammunition during the course of the investigation.