45 year-old Joshua Masuda-Mercado, who was found guilty by a Kona jury for charges of Continuous Sexual Assault of a Minor Under the Age of Fourteen Years and Attempted Sexual Assault in the First Degree in September, was sentenced to twenty years in prison.

The case stemmed from a string of incidents that occurred between November 2014 and August 2018 and a separate incident on July 2, 2019. Both Continuous Sexual Assault of a Minor and Attempted Sexual Assault in the First Degree are class A felony offenses which carry a maximum penalty of  twenty years in prison and also required registration as a sex offender.

Masuda-Mercado was originally charged via grand jury indictment in August of 2020.
The Indictment warrant remained outstanding and was unserved for ten months. In June of 2021,
Masuda-Mercado was located in Tennessee and Hawai‘i County Prosecutor’s Investigators
coordinated his extradition back to Hawai‘i to face the felony charges.

The case was initiated by Officer Jason Miyashiro, Kona Patrol, and the felony
investigation was handled by Acting Lieutenant Sharlotte Bird, Area II Juvenile Aid Section,
Hawai‘i Police Department. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chase Murray prosecuted the case.

“Protecting our keiki is a top priority within our Office,” said Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen in a press release. Waltjen continued,“Sex assault against a minor is an egregious crime that will not be tolerated. We will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice for victims of sexual abuse and to hold offenders accountable.”

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney