Big Island police on Thursday morning in Hilo nabbed a fugitive sex offender wanted by Kauai authorities.
Officers apprehended 21-year-old Tristian K.M. Taeza, whose last known address was Kapaa, Kauai, at about 9:30 a.m. at Hilo Terrace Apartments on Waianuenue Avenue.
Taeza was wanted for violating his five-year probation on two second-degree sexual assault convictions. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest when he missed a July 25, 2018, court date in Lihue.
He also was indicted by a Kauai grand jury Aug. 8 on two additional counts of first-degree sexual assault and another bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
According to Hawaii Police Department spokesman Alan Richmond, Taeza is incarcerated “on a courtesy hold awaiting extradition to Kauai.”
Taeza’s bail is set at $150,250.
According to the indictment, on July 7 and 8 last year, Taeza allegedly engaged in sexual penetration with a girl who was at least 14 but younger than 16. Because Taeza is more than five years older than the minor and is not legally married to her, the sex acts were illegal.
On March 18, 2015, Taeza pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree sexual assault. In return for his plea, prosecutors dismissed six counts of first-degree sexual assault and two additional counts of third-degree sexual assault, court records indicate.
Court records don’t specify if the victim in that case is the same as the alleged victim in the current indictment, who was born in 2002 and identified only by her initials.
Taeza was ordered to register as a sex offender, and the state sex offender registry lists him as non-compliant.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
