Accused child rapist won’t fight extradition to Washington state

Eric Roloson, left, appears in court Tuesday with his defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jeff Ng. (Kelsey Walling/Tribune-Herald)
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A 40-year-old Pahoa man wanted in Washington state for allegedly raping two children told Big Island police he left Washington because he “knew stuff was coming down and was scared,” according to court documents filed by police.

Eric Sean Roloson also allegedly told Hawaii Police Department officers “some of the things I was accused of was bull——.”

Roloson, who was arrested Monday morning by the Special Enforcement Unit, faces two counts of first-degree child rape and two counts of first-degree child molestation in Cowlitz County, Wash. A warrant for his arrest was issued on March 25, according to documents.

A letter from Sgt. Kevin Tate of the Kelso (Wash.) Police Department said it is the department’s intent to extradite Roloson.

Roloson waived his right to an extradition hearing Tuesday, telling Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota, “I don’t want to contest it.”

He told the judge he has been using the alias “Jason Walker” while on the Big Island.

Roloson’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jeff Ng, asked Kubota to set bail for Roloson. Deputy Prosecutor Shannon Kagawa objected, saying the Washington warrant for Roloson’s arrest specified that he be held without bail.

“The court will follow the lead of the state of Washington,” Kubota said, denying bail for Roloson.

Kubota also set a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23. The hearing will be held only if Washington authorities haven’t taken Roloson back to that state by then.

According to court documents, the victims are both girls with whom Roloson was acquainted but not related. One was 5 or 6 years old when the abuse allegedly began, while the other reportedly told officers the abuse began when she was 10 or 11 years old.

Both girls accused Roloson of touching their privates and forcing them to touch his, and one of the girls told Kelso Police he showed her “videos of adults doing sexual things.”

Email John Burnett at jburnett @hawaiitribune-herald.com.