KEALAKEKUA — A man who placed nude photos of an ex-girlfriend on social media was sentenced to six months in jail and four years of probation as part of a deferred acceptance of a guilty plea.
Jerome Kailiwai, 39, of Kailua-Kona, was charged with first-degree violation of privacy, first-degree extortion, second-degree terroristic threatening and 13 counts of violating a temporary restraining order. On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to the violation of privacy charge and five counts of violating a restraining order, while the state agreed to drop the other charges.
The events came from a short romantic relationship that the woman broke off, deputy prosecuting attorney Kate Deleon said, and Kailiwai used photos the woman had sent him as a way to lash out. He did this by posting the images to the social media system Instagram, attaching her name to the photos so family and friends would see it.
The later violations of the restraining order showed a pattern of “continuous harassment,” she said.
Kailiwai said he knew he was violating the court order when he sent the messages, but he was trying to apologize.
Judge Ronald Ibarra asked “after one, two, court orders, why did you continue?”
He said he was still not thinking straight.
Deputy public defender Ann Datta said Kailiwai was cooperative with the legal system throughout the course of the case, and a lesser sentence was appropriate.
He gave a full confession to investigators and accepted the restraining orders from the Family Court, she said.
“This was a love relationship. It broke his heart and he did crazy things,” Datta said.
Kailiwai also spoke to the court, at times with quiet reminders from Datta.
The breaking point was when he found she was dating other men at the same time. His goal was very direct, he said, as he did it “just to get her back for what she did to me.”
He apologized twice for his actions, and there was a positive result for him.
“Being locked up has totally helped me, mentally, physically and, most of all, spirituality,” he said.
In addition to the time in jail, Ibarra gave credit for the 58 days Kailiwai has already served.
Ibarra reinforced the no-contact order and required a letter of apology. It would be given to his probation officer, who would judge if it was appropriate to forward to the victim.
“I hear you,” Ibarra said. “You weren’t in your right mind, so get your mental health assessment.”
He also sentenced the violations of the restraining order to be concurrent.
“I can understand you were very upset, but that doesn’t excuse what you did,” Ibarra said.
