Sex crimes damage the lives of victims – and the lives of those accused by law enforcement. Recently two different cases saw fugitives returned to Hawaii to face allegations of sexual assault going back as far as 2008.
In January, law enforcement located and returned two men accused of sex crimes. Both men had fled Hawaii. Those cases include:
- Joel Ibana, a 29-year-old man formerly of Kauai, was located in Puyallup, Washington. In 2010, Mr. Ibana allegedly subjected a female victim under the age of 14 to repeated acts of sexual penetration. A grand jury returned an indictment of six counts of first-degree sexual assault among other charges. A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Mr. Ibana in 2013. Mr. Ibana was taken into custody in Washington State and awaits extradition.
- Also in January, a 33-year-old man featured for five months on the television show Hawai’i Island’s Most Wanted was apprehended in Mexico. Formerly of the Puna District, Mauro Martin Ortiz was returned to Hawaii on a bench warrant for kidnapping, seven counts of first-degree sexual assault and five counts of third-degree sexual assault. The charges, involving a minor female victim, resulted from an incident that occurred in 2008.
Criminal matters of sexual assault are intense and potentially exploitive of all involved. Individuals accused of sexual assault can have their careers and reputations ruined. Conviction and enrollment on a sex offender registry may permanently damage employment and social opportunities, among others.
Individuals accused of any sex crime in Honolulu or elsewhere in Hawaii require strong, experienced criminal defense. Careful investigation is essential to challenging potentially damaging evidence and testimony.
If charged with any sexual offense, talk to a skilled defense attorney to protect your rights and your future.