Man sentenced to 10 years on drug charges

LIHUE — A Hanamaulu man who was originally part of Kauai Drug Court was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday on methamphetamine and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia charges.

Ricardo Navor Jr., 42, was sentenced by Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe.

Navor was arrested in January 2012 after police say he was in possession of more than seven grams of methamphetamine and associated paraphernalia commonly used in the packaging of drugs for distribution.

After being placed in the drug court program, Navor was then arrested in March 2015, again in possession of methamphetamine.

Navor was subsequently terminated from drug court and placed in the HOPE probation program for high-risk probationers. However, he repeatedly failed to comply with the terms of probation, ultimately leading to Tuesday’s revocation of probation and re-sentencing.

“We strongly believe in affording those struggling with addiction every opportunity to get treatment as an alternative to incarceration, but that requires the buy-in and participation of the one who needs the help. In this case, that wasn’t there and prison was the only alternative sufficient to protect the public,” said Justin Kollar, prosecuting attorney.

Navor has a prior felony conviction for first-degree terroristic threatening and three misdemeanor convictions for abuse of a family or household member.