LIHUE — A repeat sex offender convicted of sexually assaulting a minor was sentenced to two consecutive five-year prison terms on Wednesday in Fifth Circuit Court Joseph Costa Rita Sr., 73, of Kalaheo, was sentenced to a five-year prison term
LIHUE — A repeat sex offender convicted of sexually assaulting a minor was sentenced to two consecutive five-year prison terms on Wednesday in Fifth Circuit Court
Joseph Costa Rita Sr., 73, of Kalaheo, was sentenced to a five-year prison term for third-degree sexual assault. He was also sentenced to a consecutive five-year term for failing to comply with the terms of the state sex offender registry.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe said Costa Rita is a danger to the community. He has already served a year and 10 months at Kauai Community Correctional Center.
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Arin said that Costa Rita was taken in by a family less than a year after he was out of prison. He soon gained the trust of their 13-year-old daughter who referred to him as “her favorite uncle.”
The victim disregarded incidents where the defendant “massaged her arm” and another where he patted her posterior, Arin said. It was during a family trip to Waimea Canyon that Costa Rita became playful and grabbed her breast, she said.
Costa Rita was arrested on four counts of third-degree sexual assault and charges of non-compliance with the sex offender registry came later that day. He was previously convicted of second-degree sexual assault and incest in 1996 and served consecutive terms totaling 15 years.
The State Sex Offender Registry notes that Costa Rita lost an appeal on reducing his 10-year sentence on the second-degree sexual assault charge.
The 2011 charge came less than a year after serving his prison term for a similar offense, Arin said. The plea deal dropped an A-felony continual sexual assault of a minor charge in exchange for pleading no contest to the two C-felony charges.
Costa Rita chose not to make a statement in court.
County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar said in a press release that his office thanks the 5th Circuit Court and Kauai Police Department for their work and wants the victims to know their thoughts are with them.
“Those who prey on the most vulnerable and trusting in their lives cannot and will not be permitted to remain in settings where they can continue to hurt others,” Kollar said. “These crimes destroy families and inflict deep and lasting trauma on their victims.”
