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Man, 58, gets 15 years in federal prison for drug, gun crimes

A 58-year-old Oahu man was sentenced to a little more than 15 years in federal prison Monday after he was convicted of possessing a gun and selling methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Henry Kapononuiahopili Lii was sentenced Monday by Senior U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor to 181 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Lii requested to serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Okla.

In October 2023 Lii was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2007 federal drug conviction.

On Oct. 20, 2023, the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the District of Hawaii “conducted a lawful search” of Lii’s residence on Anianiku Street in Honolulu, according to a Feb. 21 plea agreement.

Inside a dresser in Lii’s residence, the USPPSO recovered 1,397 grams of methamphetamine, 110 grams of cocaine, 65 grams of cannabis, a 9 mm firearm with no serial number, 34 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, three 9 mm magazines, and drug distribution paraphernalia including a digital scale and baggies, according to federal court records.

Lii “possessed the 9 mm firearm with no serial number to protect his methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and his methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana proceeds,” according to the agreement.

In February 2024, Lii pled guilty to both offenses, admitting that he intended to distribute the drugs and knowingly possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

Judge Gillmor also sentenced Lii to an additional 36 months for committing the crimes while on supervised release for his 2007 federal conviction, to run consecutively to his 181-month sentence.

Lii has 17 state charges on his record, including domestic violence, and firearm and drug crimes.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Eucker.

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