Press Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Hawaii
PJKK Federal Building (808) 541-2850
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 6-100 FAX (808) 541-2958
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850
June 15, 2007
For Immediate Release
P R E S S R E L E A S E
Ed Kubo, U.S. Attorney for Hawaii, announced that Ai Hang Thi Hyde, also known as Kim Hyde, age 35, entered guilty yesterday to drug conspiracy, money laundering and forfeiture charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. Hyde, an Australian citizen, is facing a mandatory 10 year prison term, and may be sentenced up to life imprisonment, when she is sentenced on November 15, 2007, by Federal Chief Judge Helen Gillmor. Her real and personal property, which she used to aid her drug transactions will be forfeited to the Government.
Previously in this case, in May 2007, Hyde’s co-defendant, Ryan Yukio Shinjo, pled guilty to conspiracy and money laundering charges. His sentence is set for November 1, 2007 before Chief Judge Gillmor.
U.S. Attorney Kubo said that Hyde arranged for others to receive parcels containing methamphetamine (ICE) from California, and she also traveled to the mainland to deliver money to obtain pounds of ICE. Hyde admitted that since September 2001 (to December 2006), she has had many pounds of ICE sent from California for distribution here in Hawaii. A total of $1,068,800, which investigators located in Hyde’s business bank accounts, and which were proceeds from her drug dealing, will be forfeited.
The case resulted from a two-and-a-half year joint investigation by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Beverly Wee Sameshima.
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