Ex-Hawaii councilman sentenced to 20 years for dealing meth

HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. judge last week sentenced a former elected Hawaii official to 20 years in prison for leading a drug-trafficking ring.

Arthur Brun said last year he sold methamphetamine to support his drug habit even while serving as a member of the county council on the island of Kauai. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, assault of a law enforcement officer, witness tampering and other charges.

Prosecutors said Brun, 50, conspired with a gang leader, requested sexual favors as payment for drugs and assaulted a law enforcement officer.

He was indicted with 11 others, who have all pleaded guilty to various charges, according to prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson sentenced Brun last Thursday. In March, Watson rejected a deal between Brun and prosecutors for a 15-year sentence.

When Brun was arrested in 2020, he was vice chair of the council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee. His term ended later that year, while he was incarcerated without bail.

In 2019, a Kauai police officer pulled over Brun after the then-councilman received more than a pound of methamphetamine from a gang leader, prosecutors said. Brun sped off while the officer tried to remove the keys from the ignition in Brun’s car.

Brun said he threw the drugs out of the car’s window so that authorities would not find it.