HPD officer faces
drug charges

The 22-year veteran allegedly
sold crystal methamphetamine,
once while in uniform

A 49-year-old Honolulu police officer was charged in federal court yesterday for selling crystal methamphetamine three times this month, once while in uniform.

Robert Henry Sylva was arrested Monday at the main police station for selling 4 1/8 ounces of methamphetamine, or "ice," for $7,500.

Sylva, a 22-year veteran from Kaaawa, was charged with three counts of selling methamphetamine March 11, 18 and 21 to an informant during a sting operation. Sylva is formerly a Kalihi patrolman who was assigned to the alternate calls service at police headquarters.

He is the second Honolulu police officer in less than four months to be charged with a drug crime. Officer Harold Cabbab Jr. was charged in December by federal authorities with attempting to steal crystal methamphetamine from drug dealers in a sting.

"I applaud Honolulu Police Department's efforts and Chief Boisse Correa because they were the ones who brought the matter to our attention and included us in their investigation," U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court yesterday revealed that a cooperating individual knew Sylva was a police officer and that this informant was buying methamphetamine from him since between November and December.

The individual purchased amounts of ice ranging from several grams to an ounce at a time, paying $1,600 for an ounce and $900 for half an ounce.

If convicted, Sylva faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. Sylva has been placed on administrative leave without pay.

According to prosecutors, Sylva has a criminal history, and had been previously charged with second-degree robbery, which was later reduced to third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. He subsequently pleaded no contest in April 2003 and was granted a deferral of his plea, with six months in jail.

The case was closed on Sept. 26, 2003, after he complied with all the conditions imposed by the court, including performing 75 hours of community service.

Kubo said: "Being a dirty cop, he had to have known that we would have found out about him sooner or later."

Police investigators from the NarcoticsÚVice Division and Internal Affairs began investigating Sylva after receiving information from the public, Correa said in a news release.

Investigators asked the FBI for help in taking the case to federal prosecutors.

"Drugs are a serious problem in our community, and it is disheartening that there are serious allegations against one of our officers," Correa said in the statement. "We want to reassure the public that we will investigate anyone who is suspected of being involved in drug-related or other criminal activity."

The federal criminal complaint details telephone conversations in which Sylva and the cooperating informant discuss arrangements for the drug deals.

Sylva uses code to disguise the drug-trafficking nature of the calls, the complaint said. "Orange" meant an ounce, a "basket" meant an eighth of an ounce, and half referred to a half ounce.

On March 11, Sylva met the informant at the Marukai 99 Superstore on Ward Avenue, selling more than an ounce for $1,800. On March 18, the informant, wearing a body recorder, met Sylva midday at Windward City Shopping Center, with surveillance officers watching, exchanging $300 for an eighth of an ounce.

On March 21, Sylva wore his HPD dark blue Class A uniform and badge when the two met again at Marukai and handed the informant three ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $5,400.

The police crime laboratory found the methamphetamine was of high quality -- 96 percent pure.

During the March 21 exchange, Sylva was caught on tape asking the informant to deliver a card or letter to his girlfriend.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said the arrest of a police officer for drug dealing is unusual.