A Hilo jury found 32 year-old Sonny E. Puerto of Puna aka “JUNYA” guilty as charged to Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree as a part of Operation Keiki Shield

After reading the jury’s guilty verdict, Prosecutors requested that Puerto, who was previously released on $30,000.00 bail, be taken into custody and held without bail. The Court denied the request and increased bail to $500,000.00. Puerto was taken into custody and ordered to return for a sentencing hearing on October 14, 2024.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Puerto exchanged text messages with an undercover police officer, whom Puerto believed to be a 13 year-old girl, where he requested sexual intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus. Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree is a Class B felony offense which carries a penalty of a ten-year prison term without the possibility of probation and mandates registration as a sex offender. Operation Keiki Shield is a state-federal-local collaborative initiative focused on identifying and arresting offenders who commit internet-facilitat

Operation Keiki Shield is a state-federal-local collaborative initiative focused on identifying and arresting offenders who commit internet-facilitated sex crimes against minors and rescuing victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Ha‘aheo Kaho‘ohalahala and Patrick Muñoz.

HPD Photo