Kaua‘i woman sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for drug trafficking

A 46-year-old Kaua‘i woman was sentenced last week in federal court to 3 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Court records reveal Trish Leila Henderson was part of a conspiracy acquiring controlled substances through the U.S. mail and engaged in the distribution of meth on Kaua‘i.

She was ruled responsible for more than 22 pounds of methamphetamine in total.

Senior U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi sentenced Henderson to 36 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

She is one of 11 defendants charged in three separate indictments for crimes related to the operation of a trans-Pacific drug trafficking network, nine of whom pleaded guilty and the remaining awaiting trial.

The overall investigation yielded seizures of more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, several kilograms of fentanyl and carfentanil, eight firearms, ammunition and more than $150,000 in cash.

Kobayashi commented during sentencing that Henderson showed strong mitigating circumstances, including her drug treatment and efforts to rebuild her community following the harm she caused in distributing methamphetamine.

She is the third defendant in a nine-defendant indictment to be sentenced.

Her co-conspirators, including those charged in other indictments, were sentenced as follows:

• Shawn Pauahi Santana was sentenced April 30, 2025, in one of the related cases — charged by separate indictment — to 240 months behind bars and 5 years supervised release. Santana pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine.
• Faith Michelle Nelson was sentenced Dec. 10, 2025, to 151 months in prison and 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Francis Anthony Abergas Jr. was sentenced Dec. 16, 2025, to 210 months behind bars and 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Kaua‘i, Maui, and Honolulu Police Departments; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Nammar prosecuted the case.