A Honolulu police officer faces possible life in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court yesterday to selling crystal methamphetamine to a girlfriend who was working as a government informant.

Robert Sylva, 50, has been in custody since his arrest in late March on charges that he sold crystal methamphetamine on three occasions to the woman, who was a cooperating witness. Sylva previously had pleaded not guilty.

He faces 10 years to life in prison and up to a $4 million fine when sentenced. Sylva is in custody at the Federal Detention Center at the airport. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Ezra on June 13 at 3 p.m.

Prosecutors said Sylva was in uniform during one of the sales, which occurred in the parking lot of the Sports Authority on Ward Avenue.

Sylva is the second Honolulu police officer to plead guilty to federal drug charges in the past seven months, and the third to be arrested by federal agents.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kawahara said Sylva has been "cooperative" as evidenced by the guilty plea. He said a government investigation has not uncovered any evidence to suggest Sylva was selling methamphetamine with the help of other Honolulu police officers.

Honolulu police Capt. Frank Fujii declined to comment about the guilty plea yesterday. He said the department usually reserves comment until a criminal case against an officer is concluded.

Sylva's attorney, Alvin Nishimura, said his client has never tried illegal drugs and acted as a middle man, not a dealer.

Sylva delivered methamphetamine, but never profited from the sales, Nishimura said. Sylva's life fell apart after his parents and young child all died during a short period of time in 2004, he said.

Sylva became depressed and lonely, Nishimura said, so he started "dating women with drug problems."

In the end, it was one of those women that became a government informant and turned Sylva in, Nishimura said.

"He lost everything (after his family died). You gotta feel for the guy," said Nishimura, speaking after the proceedings yesterday. "He just got into a deep depression and it just kind of spiraled."

Nishimura said Sylva's daughter, an eighth-grader, is being cared for by family members.

In other cases, a federal judge sentenced officer Harold Cabbab Jr. to 14 years in prison on Nov. 7 after Cabbab pleaded guilty in May to stealing what he thought was methamphetamine and cocaine in a federal sting operation.

U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway also sentenced Cabbab to five years of supervised release once he is freed from prison. Cabbab, who will be credited for the year he has spent in custody, will be sent to a Mainland facility to serve his time.

On Aug. 25, officer James Corn Jr. was charged with possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. If convicted, federal sentencing guidelines call for a minimum of 10 years in prison and a $4 million fine.

Corn, who is on leave without pay, is accused of accepting $1,000 to provide protection for a 2-pound crystal methamphetamine deal that was part of a sting operation set up by undercover officers.

On Nov. 10, U.S. Magistrate Leslie Kobayashi accepted a request by federal Assistant Public Defender Pamela Byrne to release Corn into a treatment program at the Hina Mauka residential drug treatment facility.

Kobayashi granted Byrne's request after the lawyer told the court that Corn's family would put up a $100,000 bond secured by the mortgage on the family's Wai'anae home.

Corn is restricted to the Hina Mauka facility and will be sent back to the Federal Detention Center after he completes drug rehabilitation treatment.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.