A 45-year-old prison guard was charged Sunday after he allegedly smuggled cigarettes, drug paraphernalia and narcotics such as methamphetamine and cocaine into Halawa Correctional Facility last year in return for money.
Honolulu FBI agents and state deputy sheriffs arrested Wahiawa resident Marc Damas, an adult corrections officer, around 11 a.m. Sunday at the Halawa facility, said FBI Special Agent Tom Simon.
He was later charged via criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of meth.
Damas is suspected of accepting payments for distributing contraband such as cigarettes, cigarette lighters, Krazy Glue, pipes for crack or cocaine, and narcotics such as meth, or "ice," and various forms of cocaine to Halawa prisoners, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court by FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Felmann, who was involved in the investigation.
The recent arrest marks the second time this month a Halawa employee has been charged with smuggling methamphetamine into the Oahu prison.
Guard James "Kimo" Sanders III pleaded not guilty Jan. 13 to charges related to smuggling meth into the prison and bribery. Sanders, 31, of Kailua, was arrested at the prison Jan. 12 and charged with two counts of distributing methamphetamine; conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and bribery.
Sanders, who is accused of distributing five grams or more of meth on Nov. 15, and distributing 50 grams or more of meth a week later, was released to his grandmother on a $50,000 bond and ordered by the judge to turn over his passport and wear a GPS tracking device. His trial is scheduled for March 18.
Department of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai said the latest arrest represents an ongoing effort between state and federal law enforcement to "weed out corrupt employees in our prisons and to bring individuals who commit these crimes to justice, ensuring the safety in our prisons and the public."
According to the FBI affidavit filed in court Friday, Damas’ alleged crimes took place from before Sept. 4 to around Nov. 2.
FBI agents received court authorization to intercept calls and text messages to and from Damas’ cellphone, according to the affidavit. In a call on Sept. 5, Damas is told by the brother of an inmate, "Basically, I can meet with you tonight and give you $2,000. I got a list of stuff he wants, so I’ll write that list down and give you the rest instead of calling it over the phone."
According to the transcripts provided by the FBI, Damas does not appear to be well versed in drug terminology. On Sept. 7 he allegedly told a caller, "This is D. I got everything for give your brother, except I don’t know where to get one crack pipe, and I don’t know what is crack but I can give him regular coke. Isn’t that the same thing?"
The caller goes on to explain to Damas the difference between an "ice pipe" and a "crack pipe" and where to find them, according to the affidavit, and Damas later says, "OK, I’ll figure it out, I’ll get it to him. This is all new to me, so if I don’t learn it first (laughing) … Tell your brother. Just be patient I getting there."
In separate call on Sept. 7 between two people, in which Damas can allegedly be heard in the background, someone asks, "Whose phone is this?" and the person using Damas’ phone replies, "This is the donkey’s phone," according to the affidavit. The person on Damas’ phone, thought by the FBI to be a prison inmate, then asks the person on the other line to save Damas’ number under the initial "D."
According to Felmann’s affidavit, Damas provided his cellphone to an inmate so the inmate could establish a connection between Damas and someone outside the prison in order to deliver contraband to the prisoner.
On Sept. 27 agents searched Damas’ black 2000 GMC pickup truck after FBI agents observed him meeting with a woman on a street corner in Palolo Valley.
The search revealed "multiple packages containing items appearing to be ICE, as well as other prison contraband and cash believed to be provided to (him)," according to the affidavit. Laboratory tests of items in four plastic bags identified them as about 13 grams of pure methamphetamine, according to the FBI.
On Nov. 1 Damas was seen taking another package from the woman in the parking lot of the Palolo Laundry Center, the affidavit says. A search of his car two minutes later revealed three packages containing meth and other contraband.
The FBI said laboratory tests confirmed the items were approximately five grams of pure methamphetamine and approximately three grams of marijuana.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren signed the criminal complaint calling for Damas’ arrest Friday.
Following his arrest, Damas was transported to the Honolulu FBI division office in Kapolei for processing, then to the Federal Detention Center, where he was to spend the night awaiting his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, Simon said.
Honolulu FBI Special Agent in Charge Vida Bottom said Sunday in a news release that the FBI will continue to work with the state’s Department of Public Safety "to ensure the integrity of Hawaii’s correctional facilities."
She said, "We recognize that the vast majority of adult corrections officers are dedicated public servants who put their lives on the line every day for the greater good. However, when allegations of corruption arise among prison employees, we will work with prison management to investigate wrongdoing and bring the corrupt to justice."
