Convicted sex offender arrested, pleads not guilty

A 47-year-old Hilo man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from the alleged sexual assault of an underage girl.

Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Jayson Gene Alatan to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Sept. 17. A Hilo grand jury returned a 19-count indictment April 27 charging Alatan with kidnapping, continuous sexual assault of a minor younger than 14, 10 counts of first-degree sexual assault, five counts of third-degree sex assault, plus promoting pornography to a minor and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. In addition, Alatan is charged with failure to appear and revocation or modification of probation.

The most severe charges, kidnapping, continuous sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault, are all Class A felonies punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment upon conviction.

According to a police log, Alatan was arrested at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at Wal-Mart in Hilo.

The indictment states the sex assault-related offenses occurred between Nov. 26, 2015, and Feb. 7, 2016. Alatan allegedly failed to register as a sex offender on Sept. 14, 2016.

The judge maintained Alatan’s bail at $1 million and ordered Alatan to remain on the Big Island if he’s released from jail, to have no contact with the alleged victim and to not possess firearms.

Alatan also appeared Wednesday before acting Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto on the warrant to revoke Alatan’s probation on a prior sex assault conviction.

The judge set bail on the matter at $25,000 and ordered Alatan to return to court at 8 a.m. June 13.

Alatan remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.