In a recent ruling that has sent a strong message to drug traffickers in Honolulu, Rayshaun Ducos, a 27-year-old local resident, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Ducos, who admitted to selling cocaine to a 25-year-old active-duty U.S. Marine that tragically led to a fatal overdose, faced Judge J. Michael Seabright who handed down the sentence, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Statements from Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson highlighted the serious consequences of Ducos’s criminal activities, underscoring the inherent dangers in the illicit drug trade, particularly when intertwined with firearms.
Ducos pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His entanglement with “ghost guns,” makeshift firearms lacking serial numbers, put a sharp edge on an already grave situation. Senior U.S. District Judge Seabright pointed out the heavier sentence was warranted given the “young individual who died from the cocaine,” the involvement of the “ghost guns,” and Ducos’s attempts at obstructing justice by flushing drugs down the toilet during a federal search. “This case demonstrates that drug trafficking is not a victimless crime,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson, in a statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The evidence seized at the time of Ducos’s arrest painted a troubling picture: two “ghost guns,” nearly 300 rounds of ammunition, a drum magazine capable of holding 100 rounds, more than $30,000 in cash, and an undisclosed quantity of cocaine. The comprehensive investigation was carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Thomas Muehleck prosecuting the case…