A California man is scheduled to plead guilty today for allegedly aiding a drug trafficking organization run out of a California prison that was shipping tens of pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl to Oahu and Maui.
Joseph Choi, 34, was first charged by criminal complaint July 22, 2023, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to federal court records.
Choi and an alleged co-conspirator who worked as an informant for the Maui Police Department, William Naweli, were indicted
Sept. 12.
Choi was charged with conspiracy, attempted
possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Despite working as a covert operative for law enforcement, Naweli is facing five federal drug and firearm charges and the forfeiture of a firearm and $210,827 in cash.
Police and agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration allegedly discovered Naweli was giving them information while using a Taurus 9 mm handgun to protect his methamphetamine and fentanyl dealing.
Choi previously pleaded not guilty Sept. 16. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aislinn K.
Affinito is prosecuting the case.
Starting in June 2023, MPD and the DEA investigated a drug trafficking organization that was moving fentanyl and methamphetamine from California to Maui and Oahu.
During the investigation, Naweli began operating as an MPD confidential source, according to federal court records. Naweli infiltrated the organization for the “purposes of identifying the locations of drug stash houses and notifying law enforcement.”
Naweli allegedly told
police that a group of drug dealers from California was moving “tens of pounds” of methamphetamine from the Los Angeles area to Hawaii.
Police and federal agents allegedly learned the organization was run out of a California prison by an inmate named Gabriel Delosreyes.
During a phone call using WhatsApp that was recorded by law enforcement, Delosreyes allegedly discussed with Naweli “the acquisition of long-term rental property in Hawaii in order to conduct his drug trafficking business.”
Delosreyes also allegedly told Naweli that a co-
conspirator named “Joe,” later identified as Joseph Choi, was “stamping powder fentanyl into bricks” and would be in Hawaii soon and be Delosreyes’ representative in the islands.
During a recorded June 26, 2023, phone call, Delosreyes allegedly told Naweli that Choi would help rent the properties. On July 5, 2023, Naweli recorded a
conversation with Choi.
During that call Choi
allegedly said “Stuff (i.e., drugs) are moving,” according to federal court documents, and Naweli asked when Choi would be coming back to Hawaii to “get the fenty going.”
After telling Naweli he would “come back out there to get that going,” Choi discussed how to use false personal identifications to rent property.
On July 14, 2023, Choi told Naweli during a call he was
in Honolulu and going “tomorrow to pick up the keys” for a place on Oahu. The pair also talked about getting a place in Kahului or Kihei, and Choi coached Naweli about what kind of pay stubs Choi uses to generate fraudulent documentation.
On July 20, 2023, MPD Crime Reduction Unit officers learned that Naweli was “conducting unauthorized criminal activity outside of his authorized cooperation with law enforcement.”
Police got a warrant and searched Naweli’s car. Officers found Naweli’s handgun, 1-1/2 pounds of fentanyl powder, 1-1/2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 476 pills imprinted with “M30” suspected to be counterfeit fentanyl pills, and $76,354 in cash.
Naweli allegedly admitted to illegally possessing and distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine that was sent to Hawaii for Choi to market. He was arrested but agreed to “cooperate again in hopes of redeeming some favorable prosecutorial consideration,” according to federal court documents.
Naweli told police that he had access to a storage unit that was allegedly obtained by Choi at the U-Haul Moving and Self-Storage in Kahului. Naweli told police methamphetamine was kept in a suitcase in the unit and that he and Choi kept keys to get to the drugs.
Naweli took police to the unit, and officers found the suitcase and “approximately 15 pounds of crystal methamphetamine located inside of a suitcase, just as previously described by Naweli.”
On July 21, 2023, Delosreyes called Naweli to tell him Choi was flying from Oahu to Maui to “pick up drug proceeds and fentanyl from the storage unit.”
The next day, Naweli allegedly told Choi “that the bags were packed and ready for Choi to pick up,” and arranged for Choi to meet an undercover Maui police officer officer in the parking lot of the airport.
At about 5:30 p.m. July 22, 2023, Choi landed in Kahului and met with the undercover officer, who told him, “Here’s the paper and the fenty” and transferred two suitcases to Choi.
Choi took the cases and was soon detained by law enforcement.
During an interview, Choi allegedly admitted that he “came to Maui on this day specifically to pick up drug proceeds in the amount of ‘27’ and to pick up fentanyl ‘for his bosses.’”
