HONOLULU (KHON2) — Operation Keiki Shield 22 achieved the arrest of four Maui men for internet-facilitated sexual offenses against children.
Operation Keiki Shield is an ongoing operation to identify, locate, and arrest offenders who commit internet-facilitated sexual crimes against children and to identify and rescue child victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Maui County – Operation Keiki Shield
The offenders arrested from Operation Keiki Shield 22 are a 30-year-old Kihei man, a 21-year-old Kihei man, a 44-year-old Hana man and an 18-year-old Kahului man.
According to Maui officials, all four offenders were arrested and charged after soliciting what the offenders believed to be ‘children’ for sex.
The offenders also took substantial steps to meet up with said ‘children’ to engage in criminal sexual acts with them.
Each offender, however, was talking to a law enforcement officer depicting a child, and when the offenders went to meet their victims, they were actually met with handcuffs.
The offenders were charged with:
30-year-old from Kihei, HI
· Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree – HRS § 707-756
· Bail: $100,000
21-year-old from Kihei, HI
· Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree – HRS § 707-756
· Bail: $100,000
44-year-old of Hana, HI
· Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree – HRS § 707-756
· Promoting Pornography for Minors – HRS § 712-1215
· Bail: $100,000
18-year-old from Kahului, HI
· Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – HRS § 712-1209.1
· Bail: $100,000
Since its start, Operation Keiki Shield has arrested 39 suspects as part of these ongoing investigations on Maui, and over 100 suspects have been arrested throughout the state of Hawaii.
All cases are being referred to the County of Maui, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for review, with additional referrals of some cases made to federal law enforcement agencies for review of violations of federal law.
