An Arc of Hilo driver pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from the alleged sexual assault of a physically and mentally disabled woman June 30 in one of the nonprofit organization’s vans.
Louis Sardis is charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault.
Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Sardis to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Nov. 6, but a plea deal is on the table, according to Deputy Prosecutor Kimberly Angay.
“The state will extend it until 60 days after today’s date,” Angay told the judge.
In a July 6 court appearance, Deputy Public Defender Jeff Ng said Sardis is considering the deal, terms of which include that he plead to two counts of first-degree sexual assault.
“The plea offer calls for … concurrent open terms of incarceration,” Ng said at the time.
First-degree sexual assault is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment upon conviction.
Sardis, who was suspended from his duties with the organization, is free on $49,000 bail.
Angay asked Nakamura to post bail conditions including electronic monitoring and that Sardis should have no contact with the victim, her family and witnesses to the incident in Orchidland Estates, whom Angay said “helped apprehend the defendant prior to police involvement,” and to order Sardis to turn over his passport.
Ng told the judge his client doesn’t object to the bail conditions, “however, Mr. Sardis indicated he lost his passport.”
Nakamura ordered the bail conditions, including that Sardis should turn in his passport, should he find it.
In a written statement sent to the Tribune-Herald on July 13, The Arc said it “will continue to fully cooperate” with police and prosecutors and has advised Adult Protective Services of the incident, as required by law.
“A letter is being sent home to all Arc families to inform them of this upsetting news and will also be posted on the Arc Web site (www.hiloarc.org),” the statement said. “The safety and well-being of our clients is always the highest priority in our organization. As we indicated in our communication home to families, we are obviously shocked and dismayed by this allegation and will be working to support all of our clients and families in coping with this disturbing news.”
As of late Wednesday afternoon, the letter hadn’t been posted to the organization’s website.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
