WAILUKU — A former Maui police captain accused of touching an officer’s buttocks without her consent has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
Stephen Orikasa, 49, pleaded guilty Wednesday to fourth-degree sexual assault for the June 2017 encounter with a female police sergeant under his command, The Maui News reported .
Orikasa was the commander of the department’s Criminal Investigation Division where the sergeant was working at the time of the criminal complaint.
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend that Orikasa serve one year of probation.
Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Martin told the court that if the case had gone to trial, the prosecution would have proved that Orikasa subjected the woman to sexual contact by compulsion by touching her without consent.
Judge Peter Cahill asked Orikasa if he agreed with the prosecutor’s statement, to which Orikasa said, “I agree that I touched (the victim’s) buttocks without her permission.”
The judge told Orikasa that he would be required to register as a sex offender.
Orikasa will be eligible to petition the court to end the registration requirement after 10 years, attorney David Sereno said.
Orikasa resigned earlier this month after working 27 years with the police department. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.
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Information from: The Maui News, https://www.mauinews.com