HONOLULU - Ruben Settle, 38, was sentenced on June 29 by Chief District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 210 months imprisonment for his aggravated role in a plan to distribute methamphetamine on the island of Maui. Settle had previously pled guilty on March 12, 2015 to possessing, with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said the evidence presented in court showed that Settle recruited other individuals to assist him in distributing methamphetamine on Maui including approximately 700 grams of "ice" seized from Settle by Maui Police on Dec. 17, 2014.
At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Settle, a citizen of Mexico without legal authority to be in the United States, was a threat to the public safety based on the large amount of methamphetamine involved and Settle’s long criminal history including prior drug convictions. After completing his sentence, Settle will be deported to Mexico for the second time.
The investigation which resulted in the charges in the case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Maui Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Inciong handled the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
