The fourth member of an alleged methamphetamine, cocaine and gambling ring that ran drugs and game rooms on Oahu and Maui changed his plea to guilty in federal court Tuesday morning as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors.
Desmond Morris, 39, evaded arrest for nearly three weeks on Maui after a 14-count indictment secured May 19, 2022, was unsealed June 3, 2022.
Morris was indicted with Maliu Tauheluhelu, 38, of Waianae, the alleged leader of the group, who coordinated cocaine and methamphetamine distribution, illegal game rooms and online gambling applications on Maui and Oahu.
His alleged co-conspirators on Maui are Maafu Pani, 39, and Touanga Niu, 22.
“Mr. Morris has decided to accept responsibility for his limited role in the alleged criminal activities here,” Morris’ attorney, Neal J. Kugiya, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah W.J. Smith, who is prosecuting the case, declined comment.
Morris is facing five to 40 years in federal prison, up to a $5 million fine and a term of supervised release of four years to life.
According to a plea agreement Morris entered into with the U.S. Department of Justice, he pleaded guilty to possession of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and with distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
In return, “the government agrees to dismiss count 1
of the indictment, which charges a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine” after sentencing.
The charges are connected to a Jan. 26, 2022, drug pickup observed by Maui police and FBI agents where Pani met Morris and someone referred to in the plea agreement as “Individual 1” at a storage facility where they allegedly stored illegal drugs and guns.
Morris was allegedly seen getting into and out of Pani’s car after allegedly picking up methamphetamine to sell. The next day, Morris allegedly sold an ounce of the drug to a “confidential source” working with law enforcement on Kea Street in Kahului for $900.
The second charge is related to a drug offense that occurred “prior to his participation in the conspiracy” with Pani.
In April 2018, Morris was living at a halfway house on Maui due to a prior state conviction in family court. Maui police were told that Morris had returned to “illegal drug conduct,” and a state search warrant was executed on Morris and his home, according to the plea agreement.
MPD officers recovered a small amount of cannabis from Morris’ home but found nothing on him.
Morris waived his Miranda rights and told police he had a car parked on the street, according to federal court records. An MPD K9 indicated illegal drugs might be stored in the car.
MPD executed a state search warrant and allegedly found “209 grams of methamphetamine separated into nine clear zip top bags, a digital scale, multiple empty plastic zip packets, a 2017 W-2 tax form for Morris, and a photograph of Morris.”
On July 5, U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake signed a scheduling order setting the four men’s trial for Nov. 27 at 9 a.m. in her court. Morris will be sentenced Jan. 22 at
9 a.m. in Otake’s court.
Otake granted an oral motion by Kugiya on Tuesday extending the sentencing date so Morris could “complete medical treatment.”
Tauheluhelu was arrested June 3, 2022, on Oahu. Pani and Niu also were arrested that day on Maui, part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maui police operation called Operation Faikava.
For more than four years, the organization allegedly used mobile phones bought in other people’s names to communicate and coordinate cocaine and methamphetamine shipments from the mainland to Oahu and Maui, according to federal court documents.
The group allegedly used young adult passengers to evade Transportation Security Administration screening sites by flying Mokulele Airlines to take money, methamphetamine and cocaine back and forth between Oahu and Maui.
Tauheluhelu allegedly ran illegal game rooms at 980 Queen St., behind a snack shop at 975 Queen St. and in a secret VIP lounge above his Staxx Sports Bar and Grill restaurant in Waianae, according to federal court
documents.
The group allegedly used a series of gambling applications that allowed players who downloaded them to play digital games from anywhere after buying credits that could be redeemed for cash.
Pani allegedly sold drugs and ran an illegal gambling business out of Snaxx shops in Lahaina and Wailuku. Federal agents and Maui police seized seven guns, two unregistered ghost guns, a crossbow, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of cocaine, 20 digital gambling machines, gambling ledgers, $68,000 in cash and a money counter during the execution of 14 search warrants on June 3, 2022, on Maui and Oahu.
