KAILUA-KONA — A 17-year-old boy is facing 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in 3rd Circuit Court for crimes committed during a 2016 rape at Old Kona Airport Park.
Tyron Sigrah appeared before Judge Robert D.S. Kim on Monday and pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault, kidnapping and second-degree robbery.
In return for the guilty plea, the state will dismiss four remaining sexual assault and terroristic threatening charges. The Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office recommends that the charges be served concurrently, or simultaneously.
According to the plea agreement, Sigrah may argue for youthful offender status, which allows an incarceration period of eight years instead of 20 years. On Monday, the teen’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Wendy DeWeese, said she intends to argue for such status.
Sentencing in Sigrah’s case is scheduled for Sept. 18.
Sigrah was one of two teens allegedly involved in the attack that occurred on Sept. 3, 2016, at the Old Kona Airport Park’s soccer field, just north of the Kona Community Aquatics Center.
The second suspect was identified in January as Samuel Latrik after a grand jury indicted the 18-year-old on three counts of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault, kidnapping, second-degree robbery, third-degree sexual assault and first-degree attempted sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial.
Prosecutors alleged that Sigrah, who was 15 at the time, and Latrik, who was 17 at the time, held the woman against her will, beat her and took turns raping her. The attack only stopped after a Good Samaritan passing by chased the boys off.
The victim was taken to Kona Community Hospital where she was treated for a broken nose, an exasperated back injury and badly bruised ribs.
Sigrah’s case was originally filed in juvenile court last August or September, however, Hawaii County Deputy Prosecutor Sherri Lawson filed for and was granted a waiver of jurisdiction to move the case to District Court where the teen would be tried as an adult.
Sigrah appeared before District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga on Nov. 29 for a preliminary hearing. During the hearing, the female victim took the stand and testified about what happened her the night she was sexually assaulted.
“It seemed like I was really fighting for my life,” she told the court during the November hearing.
Since Latrik was a juvenile at the time charges were brought against him, Lawson filed the case in juvenile court and again asked for a waiver of jurisdiction. That waiver was also granted and his case went straight to 3rd Circuit Court because of the grand jury indictment.
Latrik is scheduled for a jury trial on Oct. 23.
After time served immediately , and permanently deport them both . Let the folks on Kosrae deal with their own , for the rest of their miserable lives . We do not need them here . No way .
Send their parents with them.
Agreed!
why in the world would any idiot allow him to serve less than the maximum sentence?
I agree but 20 years each for the laundry list of crimes here seems very light. Two 20 year terms each that run consecutively would be ok with me. Oh, and one day for good behavior per year.
Sadly they don’t deport these guys. Three of them assaulted my wife’s store breaking the window and pounding her in the face repeatedly, and only one of them did any time … 90 days. Yet all three of these winners that are here via the Free Compact Association are still roaming free on our island.
60 years Democratic state and your right to protect yourself is gone.Wonder what would have happened if that woman had a concealed firearm?Well never know because the state of hawaii has taken away citizens 2nd ammendmemt.
TRUMP 420!
How do they go pig hunting now? Ohthat’s a rifle..would take my chances on carrying with thugs like that ruuning loose.