HILO — Police are seeking the public’s help to locate a 22-year-old Kapaau man accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls.
HILO — Police are seeking the public’s help to locate a 22-year-old Kapaau man accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls.
Jesulito Juan was indicted Aug. 8 by a Kona grand jury on two counts of first-degree sexual assault. According to the document, on Feb. 8, 2015, Juan twice “knowingly engaged in sexual penetration with a person who was less than fourteen years old.”
A police spokeswoman said the alleged assault occurred in Honokaa.
A bench warrant was issued for Juan’s arrest, setting his bail at $50,000 and ordering him to have no contact with the girl or her family.
At the time of the indictment, Juan was free on $17,000 bail in another sex assault case.
The complaint in that case alleges that Juan “knowingly engaged in sexual penetration” with another minor at least 14 years of age but younger than 16 between April 10, 2015, and March 26, 2016, and he was more than five years older and not married to the minor.
Juan also is accused of second-degree custodial interference for “entic(ing), conceal(ing) or detain(ing)” the girl between May 8, 2015, and March 26, 2016, as well as providing liquor to her on April 10, 2015.
The police spokeswoman said the alleged offenses occurred in Waikoloa.
Through an Ilocano interpreter, Juan pleaded not guilty to those charges Aug. 2 before Kona Circuit Judge Melvin Fujino.
Fujino ordered Juan to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Nov. 29 before Kona Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra.
First-degree sexual assault is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment upon conviction. Second-degree custodial interference is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, and providing liquor to a minor is a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.