LIHU‘E — The second man implicated in the Keiki Shield sting operation aimed at catching online sexual predators has pleaded not guilty.
LIHU‘E — The second man implicated in the Keiki Shield sting operation aimed at catching online sexual predators has pleaded not guilty.
Hanama‘ulu man Eric Nakamoto, 39, was arraigned at the Circuit Court in Lihu‘e on Tuesday on a charge of electronic enticement of a child in the first degree.
Prosecutors said Nakamoto was in online conversations in September with a detective who represented himself as a minor named “Janae.” Nakamoto agreed to meet with Janae with the intent of committing sexual assault and showed up at their agreed meeting place. He was then arrested by Kaua‘i Police Department personnel in September.
‘Ele‘ele man Nicholas Wehrly was nabbed in the same operation and pleaded not guilty to a charge of electronic enticement earlier this month.
Operation Keiki Shield 14 was hosted by KPD and included officers and agents from KPD, state Department of the Attorney General, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Maui Police Department, Honolulu Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu.
Five suspects have been arrested on Kaua‘i since the first iteration of Operation Keiki Shield in November 2019. In 2019, the largest iteration of the program arrested 25 suspected predators throughout the state.
First-degree electronic enticement of a child is a class B felony that carries an indeterminate sentence.
Nakamoto was released on $20,000 bail and is set for a jury trial on Feb. 6, 2023.
The Hawaii ICAC Task Force has compiled information to help keep kids safe, online at https://ag.hawaii.gov/hicac/safety-tips/.
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