A 22-year-old Waikiki man going through life in jail in reference to the deadly fentanyl overdose of a U.S. Marine in November 2021 will probably be arraigned and enter a plea Thursday in federal courtroom, accused of conducting quite a few drug transactions with lively responsibility army personnel.
Justin Hiroki Wu, 22, is charged with one depend of distribution of fentanyl leading to loss of life and one depend of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In response to a Jan. 13 felony grievance, federal investigators allegedly discovered “quite a few messages with a number of people discussing drug transactions for cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy, and oxycodone.”
“A lot of these people messaging Wu for drug transactions had been lively responsibility army personnel,” based on the grievance.
Investigators allege Wu used Money App and Venmo to maneuver cash.
“By a number of interviews of army personnel who bought medicine from Wu, investigators consider that the transactions with memo line of ‘meals’ weren’t for meals however to disguise funds for medicine,” based on the grievance, that notes interviews with active-duty army members and not less than one particular person expelled from the Marine Corps for testing constructive for fentanyl.
Fentanyl overdose deaths in Hawaii hit a three-year excessive with 71 in 2022, based on the state Division of Well being. That is up from 47 in 2021, and 34 in 2020.
“Deadly drug poisonings are an ongoing concern amongst Hawaii residents. Most of [the] mortality is because of (presumed) methamphetamine-associated fatalities. Whereas complete opioid-related deaths have additionally elevated during the last 4 years, that improve is proscribed to overdoses involving heroin and artificial opioids, principally fentanyl,” stated Shawn Hamamoto, a DOH spokesperson. “Deaths involving these two illicit opioids now far outnumber these associated to extra generally prescribed opioids, suggesting prevention alternatives via hurt discount [including bystander naloxone] and regulation enforcement.”
A spokesperson for Marine Corps Base Hawaii‘s Communication Technique and Operations, 1st Lt. Erin Scudder, advised the Star-Advertiser in a press release the Marine who died Nov. 13, 2021, was Lance Cpl. Alexander Grafton, a Hawaii-based mostly Marine inside the third Marine Division.
“Our deepest condolences stay with the family and friends of the Marine as we proceed to grieve the loss,” wrote Scudder.
The variety of Kaneohe Marines who’ve overdosed or died of a drug overdose since 2020 was not instantly accessible.
Wu will probably be arraigned and enter a plea to the indictment at 10:30 a.m. Thursday earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Decide Kenneth J. Mansfield.
His lawyer, Caroline M. Elliot, and assistant U.S. Legal professional Michael F. Albanese, who’s prosecuting the case, declined remark.
In response to the Marine Corps Prison Investigation Division, on Sept. 10, 2021, investigators responded to an overdose at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the place a lance corporal had been discovered unresponsive, given CPR, then transported to a medical middle.
Throughout a search of the sufferer’s barracks, Marine investigators discovered one blue tablet stamped “M-30” and a second crushed-up blue tablet in a clear plastic bag that later examined constructive as fentanyl, based on a Jan. 13 affidavit in assist of a felony grievance licensed by an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The sufferer allegedly advised Marine authorities he purchased the capsules from “Mike” in Waikiki.
The sufferer’s medical data from Sept. 13, 2021, point out he advised Marine medical personnel he had an unintended overdose on Sept. 10, 2021, after shopping for two Percocet capsules “off the road” and “snorted 1/2 pill.” He allegedly advised medical personnel the overdose was “unintentional” and that he was “simply being careless and was making an attempt to have enjoyable.”
On Nov. 13, 2021, the lance corporal was discovered lifeless in his barracks on Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
An post-mortem and toxicology report decided the reason for loss of life was “fentanyl toxicity” and the post-mortem indicated the date of loss of life as “unknown,” based on the grievance.
On the scene, his cellphone and a small plastic bag containing a blue, crystalline substance that examined constructive as fentanyl had been recovered. Investigators with the Naval Prison Investigative Service reviewed the lance corporal’s telephone and interviewed his buddies and associates.
NCIS decided that the lance corporal who died was final seen or heard from on the evening of Nov. 10, 2021, which “is the date NCIS suspects” he overdosed, based on the grievance.
A assessment of his cell phone revealed “a number of conversations with people on the social media utility Snapchat” about shopping for and utilizing cocaine, hashish, oxycodone, Percocet and psilocybin mushrooms. The Snapchat conversations in regards to the sale of unlawful medicine continued as much as Nov. 9, 2021, the day earlier than he died of a fentanyl overdose.
On Nov. 5, 2021, the lance corporal’s communications with Snapchat person “jay_hnl” referenced the September 2021 overdose, “U ought to give me a small bag of blow cuz I died off ur perc (cranium emojis),” and, “I simply thought like I ought to get some change for actually dying off a half a perc (cranium emojis).” 4 days later, on Nov. 9, 2021, the lance corporal messaged with “jay_hnl” saying, “Yo can me and [Person-A ] r tryna cop 4 percs complete.”
In response, “jay_hnl” wrote, “Okay.” The lance corporal died the following day.
“Primarily based on the messages between ‘jay_hnl’ and (the sufferer ), the CID investigation, and the medical data,” the DEA agent wrote that each the overdose on Sept. 10, 2021, and the deadly overdose on Nov. 10, 2021, had been the results of counterfeit Percocet, also called oxycodone M-30 capsules, purchased from “jay_hnl,” based on the felony grievance.
On March 30, 2022, NCIS and DEA brokers interviewed one other soldier appearing as a NCIS confidential supply who stated he was with the lance corporal on Nov. 9, 2021, when he purchased the Percocet from “jay_hnl.”
The supply allegedly stated they’d met with “jay_hnl” for “drug transactions on a number of events previously.” He advised federal brokers that he would drive to an tackle in Waikiki, later decided to be the placement of Wu’s residence, the place “jay_hnl” would go away his condo complicated and get into his automobile to finish the unlawful drug transaction.
On June 27, 2022, DEA and NCIS brokers interviewed one other confidential supply who stated he purchased unlawful medicine from “Justin,” a civilian who lives on the condo complicated that’s Wu’s residence. The second supply allegedly purchased cocaine and MDMA from “Justin” on a number of events since December 2021 and would buy medicine from “Justin” for different people. The second supply helped federal brokers arrange a drug purchase from Wu on June 29, 2022, courtroom data present.
Wu was arrested at about 2 :35 p.m. when he was seen getting right into a automobile registered to his mom. A search of the automobile allegedly turned up a scale with suspected cocaine residue and about 188 grams of cocaine within the trunk. Plastic luggage with suspected cocaine residue and suspected psilocybin mushrooms had been additionally discovered within the driver’s middle console, based on the grievance.
A search warrant was executed at Wu’s condo and authorities seized suspected hashish, a number of bottles of prescription codeine, suspected psilocybin mushrooms, and suspected cocaine. Inside a protected in Wu’s room, federal brokers discovered $34,248 in money, bundled in rubber bands and in numerous denominations; and 780,000 in Japanese Yen, or about $5,228.
“On that very same date, Wu supplied consent for investigators to imagine his on-line identification in Instagram, Snapchat, and iMessage accounts. Wu’s present Instagram account username is “jay_hnl,” the identical account username which was involved with (the lance corporal) on Snapchat, based on the grievance.
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