Sentencing delayed for alleged meth ring leader

A man who allegedly ran a drug trafficking organization that shipped some 100 pounds of methamphetamine to Hawaii from California each month objected to an increase of “offense level as the organizer and leader” during his sentencing hearing in federal court Monday.

Stefan Jaye Boseman entered into a plea agreement in October 2020 for his role in a large-scale meth distribution and supply chain setup assembled by him and four alleged co-conspirators, Boseman agreed to enter a voluntary plea of guilty to the felony information, which charges him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

On Monday, Boseman was identified as the organizer and leader of the “Burnette Drug Conspiracy,” which involved five or more participants, according to minutes from his sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake.

Boseman’s sentencing hearing was continued until Sept. 30, with a evidentiary hearing scheduled for Monday in Otake’s court, due to Boseman’s attorney, Myles S. Breiner, objecting to the characterization of Boseman holding a leadership role.

Boseman is facing between 10 years and life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million and between five years and life on probation. The sentencing memo filed by federal prosecutors remained sealed Monday.

Federal investigators maintain that starting at least by November 2019 and continuing through early July 2020, Boseman conspired to ship methamphetamine into Hawaii and sell it.

“During the course of the conspiracy, numerous individuals in Hawaii were fronted the methamphetamine, broke the methamphetamine down into smaller quantities, and then distributed it to others,” assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar said in a memorandum of plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court. “The proceeds from the sale of the methamphetamine in Hawaii were then shipped to the defendant in California through the U.S. Postal Service and other private shipping companies.”

In late June 2020, Boseman entered the parking lot of a FedEx store in Pearl City and handed a passenger in a red Chevrolet a bag containing $40,000 in cash from meth sales and directed her to ship the money to California, ac- cording to federal court documents.

After attempting to mail the cash at the FedEx store, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and recovered the money, which was stashed inside Hawaiian Host chocolate boxes.

On July 2, 2020, Boseman arranged for about 10 pounds of methampheta­mine to be shipped to Hawaii through United Parcel Service. When Boseman arrived at a UPS store at 1670 Makaloa St. to pick up the parcel containing the drugs, according to court documents, he sent a man into the store to make the transaction. Boseman then drove away from the store and was followed by two other cars, one containing the meth. Federal law enforcement officers arrested Boseman shortly thereafter.

Boseman agreed to forfeit $27,000 in cash seized from a U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail Express parcel on or about March 4, 2020, as well as the $40,000 from the chocolate boxes, $2,035 that he had in his possession when arrested and a silver 2014 Ford Fusion that he drove on Oahu.

He was first charged by federal criminal complaint on July 2, 2020, along with Chauston Silva, Lloyd Souza, Louie Souza and Albert Araujo with attempting to possess and sell more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

A cooperating informant told an agent with Homeland Security Investigations that Boseman was “responsible for shipping 100 pounds of methamphetamine per month from California to Hawaii over the last three years.” The informant told the agent that 10 pounds would arrive on July 2, 2020, prompting the agent to secure a search warrant for Boseman’s Ford Fusion.

After Boseman was arrested, a Honolulu Police Department narcotics dog inspected the parcel. The dog’s handler told agents that the animal exhibited a change in behavior that signaled the presence of a controlled substance that the canine is trained to recognize by odor, according to the complaint.