A married couple from Aiea with prior convictions faces federal drug charges after an investigation by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Honolulu police turned up guns, more than $20,000 in cash and more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine.

In October 2022, DEA agents started investigating an “individual distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Oahu,” referred to in federal court documents as “Person A.”

In early 2023 agents learned that Marie C.K. Pasion, 43, aka Marie Nero, allegedly helped “Person A” move methamphetamine on Oahu.

On Oct. 13, 2023, Honolulu Police Department officers saw a black Jeep Wrangler in the parking lot of 98-130 Pali Momi St., Aiea, that did not have a front license plate.

HPD approached and identified Pasion’s husband, Joseph R.M. Pasion, 44, as the driver and Marie Pasion as the passenger.

“According to law enforcement checks and records,” the Jeep was registered to Marie Pasion, and both “Joseph Pasion and Marie Pasion are convicted felons,” according to a federal criminal complaint filed Friday.

According to state court records, Joseph Pasion has 24 prior convictions, including for felony firearm offenses, drug crimes, car theft, assault and domestic violence. Marie Pasion has one prior conviction for disorderly conduct. It is not immediately clear where she was convicted of the felony referred to by federal prosecutors.

The couple faces federal charges of possession with intent to distribute. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Nakamura is prosecuting the case. The pair are in federal custody ahead of a Nov. 26 hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice’s motion to detain them without bail until their trial.

Joseph Pasion was initially arrested by HPD on suspicion of driving without a license, and when he got out of the Jeep, officers “observed a scale that had white, powdery residue located on the floor board area of the front driver’s seat” and requested that a narcotic detection screen be conducted, according to federal court documents.

A HPD canine named Django performed an exterior screen and indicated there were illegal drugs in the car. On Oct. 14, 2023, a search warrant was executed, and police officers searched the Jeep.

Officers allegedly found one black Kel-Tek brand handgun, which had a loaded magazine with six rounds of .38 caliber ammunition and a black Smith &Wesson handgun, which had a loaded magazine with six .22 caliber ammunition rounds. Officers also allegedly found other ammunition.

More than 43 grams of methamphetamine in a makeup bag, another nearly 13 grams found in the driver’s-side door pocket, scales, a grinder and pipes were also reportedly found.

Officers seized $17,040 from a black satchel bag, and an additional $4,021 was found throughout the Jeep.

The car was registered to Marie Pasion.

In August, DEA agents watched a controlled buy between a confidential source and a dealer referred to as “Person 1.” Agents allegedly witnessed their confidential source give the money DEA agents fronted him to “Person 1” and saw “Person 1” and Marie Pasion exchange the money for more than 449 grams of methamphetamine.

The DEA’s confidential source “is facing possible federal criminal drug charges and is cooperating in hopes of receiving consideration” with charging or sentencing if he is ever prosecuted. The confi­dential source “has several felony convictions as well as additional misdemeanor convictions” and is not charged with any crime at this time, but has “made statements against (his) penal interest” to investigators.

The source’s intelligence has checked out, according to an affidavit authored by a DEA agent.

DEA agents executed a search warrant Thursday at 98-563 Kaimu Loop in Aiea. Marie Pasion allegedly took 20 minutes to leave the home after DEA agents announced their presence.

During a search of one of the two bedrooms allegedly shared by the couple, agents found wigs, a black leather jacket that contained a pistol firearm with a loaded magazine, a brown Adidas bag with two pounds of methamphetamine and a green and red Gucci bag with a quarter-pound of methamphetamine.

Agents also allegedly found a suitcase con­taining 39 pounds of methamphetamine.