Kauai’s
only junk dealer
going to jail

He's convicted of drug charges;
officials had already ordered
his junkyard closed

By Anthony Sommer
Star-Bulletin

LIHUE -- The controversial proprietor of Kauai's only privately owned junkyard was convicted of narcotics charges in Circuit Court this week and will spend a minimum of 2 years in prison.

Following a three-day trial, jurors took only about an hour Thursday to convict Stuart Souza, 42, of possession of crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia including glass smoking pipes used to inhale crystal methamphetamine.

Souza's wife, Sandra, 41, who co-owns the business, was acquitted of the same charges. She testified she wasn't aware of the drugs.

The Souzas were arrested Oct. 23 after a search of their Associated Auto Recycling in Lawai by Kauai Police vice officers armed with a warrant claiming they were selling more than used car parts.

Drugs and related items were found in a tow truck, Stuart Souza's desk and in his briefcase, said Deputy Prosecutor Craig De Costa.

The methamphetamine possession conviction carries a maximum five-year penalty and a mandatory minimum 2-1/2-year sentence with no parole. The paraphernalia conviction has a maximum term of five years and the marijuana charge carries a 30-day penalty.

Souza will remain free on bail until he is sentenced Sept. 7 by Circuit Judge George Masuoka.

A year and a half ago, Souza was praised by county officials when he proposed building a junkyard. Since the last private scrap company closed four years ago, Kauai has been criticized for the thousands of junk cars that have been abandoned all over the island.

Souza proposed operating a crushing machine to dispose of the car bodies after he stripped them of parts he planned to resell.

At Planning Commission hearings he brought in consulting engineers to counter complaints from residential neighbors that the facility would be noisy and an eyesore and to counter fears of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that he would pollute Lawai Stream.

Within months of opening the junkyard, Souza was cited by both the county Planning Department and the state Health Department for violating virtually all the provisions in his permits. The crusher was placed on bare ground rather than on a leakproof concrete pad, there were no sound absorbing walls around it and junk cars were piled as high as 10 deep despite promises they wouldn't be seen from the street.

Souza has ignored numerous cease-and-desist orders from both agencies. County Prosecutor Mike Soong also has filed a civil forfeiture case against the property.