45 year-old Joseph Donald Tibbs of Puna was sentenced to forty years in prison for the sexual assault of two minors and promoting child abuse.

On Wednesday, Tibbs, who has remained in custody since the initiation of these criminal proceedings after being denied bail, appeared in Hilo Circuit Court for his sentencing hearing. After hearing arguments, the Court sentenced Tibbs to a forty-year prison term by ordering that the sentences imposed as to each minor be served consecutively.

The Court ordered that Counts 1, 7, and 9 be served concurrently for a twenty-year sentence and Counts 2, 8, and 10 be served concurrently for a consecutive twenty-year sentence. Tibbs was also required to register as a sex offender.

Back on July 21, 2025, Tibbs appeared in Hilo Circuit Court where he entered “Guilty” pleas to charges of Promoting Child Abuse in the First Degree in Counts 1 and 2 and Sexual Assault in the First Degree in Count 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Both Sexual Assault in the First Degree and Promoting Child Abuse in the First Degree are class A felony offenses and carry a maximum penalty of a twenty-year prison term.

The collaborative law enforcement investigation included the Hawai‘i State Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Taskforce, Hawai‘i Police Department (“HPD”), Maui Police Department, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The felony investigation was led by Chief Investigator Daniel Pang, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Detective Chandler Nacino, VICE-West, HPD. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Annaliese Wolf.

HPD Photo