Former Kauai County Council member Arthur Brun will appear before US District Court Judge Derrick Watson in a video hearing on Wednesday morning to change his previous “not guilty” plea, presumably pleading guilty as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Brun and eleven other alleged members of his drug network were arrested in February 2020 on a variety of drug-related charges, including an overall “Drug Trafficking Conspiracy” charge.

Brun faces 10 counts, and entered a “not guilty” plea to all on February 28, 2020.

Many of the allegations are spelled out in the indictment, which was originally sealed.

The change of plea hearing is scheduled for November 10, when Brun is expected to plead guilty.

Several others indicted with Brun have already pleaded guilty as part of agreements with prosecutors.

Kelvin Kauwila Kai, aka Kauwila, pleaded guilty to count 1, drug trafficking conspiracy, and in return prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second count. The drug trafficking conspiracy charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of life in prison, and a potential fine of up to $10 million.

Kai was a former meth adict, but by 2019 had completed drug treatment and had stopped using illegal drugs.

Sometime in the spring of 2019, Kai met Brun. “On one occasion when both men were hanging out together, Brun provided methamphetamine and a pipe to Kai; thereafter, Kai began to use methamphetaine again,” according to the plea agreement filed in federal court.

Brun then offered to supply Kai with as much meth as he wanted “in exchange for Kai’s assistance with Brun’s drug trafficking activities.” Kai agreed.

Maluelue Umu, a known member of the United Samoan Organization or USO gang, allegedly met Brun around 2016 when he was participating in a prisoner reentry program at Kauai Community Corrections Center.

“During that time period, Brun would periodically up Umu and other inmates in a van and drive them to community service activities in which they were allowed to participate as part of their reentry program,” Umu admitted in a plea agreement filed on June 15, 2021. “Brun also would tell Umu and other inmates that if they needed help, they could ask him.”

Umu was released from KCCC in 2018, and Brun began asking him to meet up for drinks. “When together, Brun would regularly introduce Umu to others and tell them that Umu was his friend,” according to the plea agreement. “Umu understood that Brun was trying to use Umu’s reputation as a known member of…the USO gang…to create the impression that Brun had strong-arm influence.”

Later, beginning in the spring of 2019, Umu began supplying “pound and multi-pound amounts” of meth to Brun, allegedly at the councilmember’s request. Over the court of the year, “Umu met with Brun on at least eight occasions” to deliver methamphetamine, never less than a pound.

Brun’s change of plea hearing is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 9 am.