Kapaa man gets 10 years for sex assault

LIHUE — A 21-year-old Kapaa man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex assault charges involving a minor girlfriend in 2012.

Alan Wayne Jeffries Jr. was arrested on July 5, 2013, and charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault.

He pleaded no contest on two amended charges of second-degree sexual assault on Nov. 14, 2013.

Judge Kathleen Watanabe said the court had the option of sentencing Jeffries to probation but instead chose concurrent 10-year prison terms for the two class B felonies.

She said the court would not gamble on the success of probation when it involves the safety of the community.

The defendant’s statements were troubling, she added. It would be preferable that Jeffries take his required sex offender classes and attend other programs while incarcerated.

Court-appointed defense attorney Warren Perry said Jeffries took responsibility from the start.

He admitted the relationship with the middle school-aged girl was wrong.

Perry said the past nine months in jail benefited Jeffries and asked for probation with time served. He said the 10-year prison term hanging over Jeffries’ head would be an incentive to perform well on probation.

County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Arin disagreed and said the state recommended the open term.

If the court was inclined to sentence Jeffries to probation, then the state would ask for the maximum 18-month jail time allowable.

Arin said despite the defendant expressing remorse, he was still an adult having sexual intercourse with a middle school-aged child on more than one occasion while engaging her in consuming alcohol and marijuana.