Prison guard and attorney
are charged in drug bust
CORRECTION
Thursday, April 24, 2003» An individual identified only as "Runner" agreed to cooperate with authorities and admitted he was going to deliver drugs to Halawa prison guard Melvin Moisa, according to a criminal complaint against Moisa. Honolulu attorney T. Stephen Leong was charged Monday in a separate but related criminal complaint with possession of two ounces of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. A Page A3 article Tuesday incorrectly reported that Leong was also the person identified as "Runner" in the Moisa complaint.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.By Debra Barayuga A Honolulu attorney and a prison guard have been charged with allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into Halawa Correctional Facility.
dbarayuga@starbulletin.comThomas Stephen Leong and Halawa prison guard Melvin Moisa were charged in separate criminal complaints in U.S. District Court yesterday with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. Both were arrested on Friday.
The arrests resulted from a federal and Honolulu police investigation. An unnamed Halawa inmate has been cooperating with police and provided information apparently resulting in the arrests.
The inmate told police that Leong would purchase crystal methamphetamine from a source and provide the drugs to an unnamed prison guard who would be compensated, according to an affidavit filed by FBI Special Agent Miles Yamane.
According to Yamane, on Wednesday the inmate called Leong and provided him the phone number of an individual who, unbeknownst to Leong, was an undercover police officer. Leong allegedly called the undercover officer the next day and discussed delivery of two ounces, or "two O's," of crystal methamphetamine for $3,000, Yamane said.
During the discussion, Leong allegedly said he was facilitating the deal and had no knowledge of the details. They agreed to meet Friday in the Aloha Tower parking lot, Yamane said.
On Friday the inmate called Leong in a recorded conversation and informed him the drug deal would include "two O's of clear, like the last time," and to put it in an envelope. Leong allegedly agreed.
Leong went to the Aloha Tower parking lot and got into the front seat of a car occupied by the undercover officer, who identified himself as "Frank." Leong allegedly handed him an envelope containing $3,000.
Leong also gave "Frank" two U.S. postal packages and instructed him to put one ounce each of the methamphetamine into the packages, which Leong then sealed. Leong was arrested as he left the car.
According to the complaint against Moisa, Leong, who was identified as "Runner," agreed to cooperate with authorities and admitted he was going to deliver the drugs to Moisa to smuggle into Halawa.
Leong later called Moisa, and they agreed to meet on Pali Highway at the entrance to Kailua, where Leong handed over the drugs and $2,000. Moisa was arrested at that time.
Moisa has since admitted he was going to smuggle the drugs into Halawa on behalf of an inmate other than the one who cooperated with police.
Clayton Frank, who took over just this week as acting warden at Halawa, said: "It's very disheartening when you get this kind of news, but it's not the first time and won't be the last time. We've got to be diligent in looking at these kinds of problems, and when we can take a proactive role in drug interdiction, we try to do that."
