On Thursday, a man from Hawaii Island was sentenced for illegally entering the United States and distributing drugs.
Juan Carlos Espinoza Lopez, 49, of Mexico, was sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison and five years on supervised release for possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute.
Espinoza Lopez was also sentenced for being an illegal alien, illegally reentering the United States, and possessing an unlawful handgun.
Espinoza Lopez pleaded guilty to the charges on December 17, 2024.
In his plea deal, Espinoza Lopez stated that he had been deported from the United States four times, the most recent in 2022.
He re-entered the United States and went to Hawaii, where he was caught in April 2024.
Espinoza Lopez was arrested in Ocean View with 176 grams of methamphetamine and 184 grams of heroin.
Officials also discovered Espinoza Lopez in possession of a Colt AR-15 rifle loaded with 27 rounds of ammo.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawaii Police Department jointly investigated this matter.