WAILUKU - A woman found with nearly 2 ounces of methamphetamine when she was stopped for speeding in Wailuku was sentenced last week to a 15-year prison term.
Based on her conviction for second-degree methamphetamine trafficking, Sheena Snedicor, 26, of Kahului was ordered to serve at least four years in prison before being eligible for parole.
"She is the type of defendant who presents a danger to the community," said Deputy Prosecutor Tracy Jones. "She has a long history of drug use and addiction. She has not been successful in any rehabilitation efforts."
Police DUI Task Force officers were doing speed enforcement when they stopped Snedicor on Eha Street on May 13, 2010.
Jones said that Snedicor showed signs of intoxication and couldn't perform field sobriety maneuvers.
"She was tweaking," Jones said. "She told the police she would be dirty."
Snedicor also told police she had just under 52 grams of methamphetamine, Jones said. She said some of the drug was packaged for sale, and police also recovered a drug pipe and scale.
Snedicor has 23 prior convictions, Jones said.
Snedicor had pleaded no contest to the reduced methamphetamine trafficking charge, as well as possessing drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of an intoxicant.
A plea agreement between the defense and prosecution called for the 15-year prison term and mandatory-minimum term.
Deputy Public Defender William "Pili" McGrath said Snedicor "disappointed many people."
"She's been an addict for a long time," McGrath said at Wednesday's hearing. "We can always hope she'll reach some solution to her addiction in prison."
He said methamphetamine is being manufactured elsewhere and imported to Maui in industrial quantities.
McGrath said incarcerating Snedicor wouldn't affect the drug situation on Maui. But to pay for Snedicor's incarceration, McGrath said, "we would have to lay off 10 tenured schoolteachers for about a year."
When she was stopped by police, Snedicor was driving 42 mph in a 20-mph zone, 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo said.
"You probably didn't know how fast you were going, but you definitely knew you had a little over 50 grams of methamphetamine in your possession," Loo told Snedicor. "It's ironic.
"You had lots and lots of chances - probation, treatment, Drug Court. It didn't work, you failed. The only thing that's left for me to do with you is basically send you to prison."
Snedicor was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and $997 in fees. Her driver's license was suspended for three months.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
