State Health Dept. chemist charged with making, selling LSD to military servicemembers

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - An employee of the Hawaii Department of Health who is referred to as “the cook” in court documents has been charged by federal authorities with making and distributing acid to military service members.

A criminal complaint filed earlier this year charges Trevor Keegan with conspiracy to distribute lysergic acid diethylamide, a schedule I controlled substance that’s also commonly referred to as LSD.

Keegan, according to the court documents, works at the state Department of Health Disease Outbreak Control Division as an extract technician ― a job which likely requires knowledge of chemistry and ways to ‘operate a lab and utilize lab equipment,’ according to charging documents.

In September 2019, court documents claim, an Air Force investigator contacted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency about a person who was using Snapchat to advertise and conduct drug sales.

The man, later identified as Austin White, is a self-described 'middle man’ who is alleged to have operated a public Snapchat account that showed ‘the public advertisement of various controlled substances for sale with listed prices.’

Over the course of about four months beginning in December 2019, White is accused of having sold various forms of LSD to an undercover agent ― including a February 2020 encounter, when White is alleged to have told the undercover agent "that his source of supply for the LSD “works in chemistry” and “makes his own stuff.”

"During further conversations with (the undercover agent), White has referred to his source of supply as “the chemist” and “the cook,” court documents continue.

Keegan was eventually identified by DEA agents during an encounter on March 30, when White told an undercover agent that 'the source of supply was nearby and pointed to a vehicle occupied by only one individual. '

Court documents indicate the Keegan is expected to plead guilty to federal charges next month. White, like Keegan, has also been charged with conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs.

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