The co-leader of a heavily armed gang Opens in a new tab that marketed deadly fentanyl-laced mixes of potent drugs in Hawaii will serve 14 years in federal prison.
Jason Darnell Smith, 26, of Livonia, Mich., was described in federal court documents as partnering with Gabriel Antone Eberhardt, 42, of Detroit, to lead a Honolulu-based drug- trafficking organization. The group sold opioids such as oxycodone tablets and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and oxycodone, methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced heroin, often referred to as “Afghan White.”
Smith and Eberhardt led at least 10 people from Hawaii, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Florida who were found with rifles, handguns and more than $250,000 in cash hidden in cars and storage units on Oahu.
Smith entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on Jan. 20, 2023, to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a kilogram or more of heroin.
In exchange, the government agreed not to prosecute him for seven other crimes associated with the drug gang’s operations.
Smith was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake to 14 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He will serve his time at either the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu or the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Mich.
He must forfeit his share of $253,234 in drug proceeds seized by federal agents from a Young Street home, storage units in Kaneohe and Waialae Avenue and Hila Place in Pearl City, multiple firearms including two Bushmaster rifles, 131 rounds of ammunition, body armor and a 2016 Dodge Charger.
Additional firearms and ammunition were administratively forfeited to the government.
Smith admitted that he carried firearms and sold at least 102 grams of methamphetamine for $1,200 on April 24, 2020, 20 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for $500 on May 12, 2020, and 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for $2,400 on June 17, 2020.
Smith also told federal prosecutors that on July 2, 2020, he moved 84 grams of methamphetamine for $5,000 and that on Sept. 21 of that same year, he sold 203 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for $5,400.
In October, Otake sentenced Eberhardt to 12 years imprisonment for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, and 18 years for firing a gun while selling heroin. When he gets out of federal prison, he will serve five years of supervised release.
Smith and Eberhardt were indicted Aug. 19, 2021. Smith was arrested Aug. 30, 2021, in Detroit and extradited to Hawaii. He has prior convictions in Wayne County, Mich., for carrying a concealed weapon and breaking and entering.
Also indicted in the drug conspiracy were members of the pair’s drug-trafficking organization: Martzes Junior, Jennifer Ashcraft, Jared Northern, Isaiah Marks, Tishanah Iwalani Kaio-Barrozo, Michael Garrett, Lynden David Lightburn and Robert Adams. All have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.
The joint investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. The case was investigated by the FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Postal Inspection Service and HPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan is prosecuting the case.
