A 45-year-old Papaaloa man accused of the sexual assault of a teenage girl pleaded not guilty Monday to four counts of first-degree sexual assault.
Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Robert David Riha to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Jan. 13. The judge set pretrial conferences for Oct. 7 and Nov. 20. He also ordered Riha not to contact, threaten or harm the minor or the girl’s mother.
Riha was indicted by a Hilo grand jury on Aug. 22. He had already been charged by prosecutors and his case was before Hilo District Court prior to the indictment.
Police re-arrested Riha Monday at Hawaii Community Correctional Center on a bench warrant issued after the indictment. The warrant raised Riha’s bail from $40,000 to $100,000.
Nakamura maintained Riha’s bail at $100,000 at Monday’s arraignment.
According to the indictment, the victim is at least 14 but younger than 16, and the offenses allegedly occurred between July 1 and July 31.
According to court documents filed by police, Riha admitted to sexual acts with the teen, including intercourse, but claimed the acts as consensual. The girl, however, is younger than the age of consent, making the act what some jurisdictions refer to as “statutory rape.”
The teen told police Riha gave her gifts, smoked marijuana with her and attempted to “woo” her, documents state.
First-degree sexual assault is a Class A felony that carries a potential prison term of 20 years upon conviction.
The Tribune-Herald’s policy is to not publish the identity of minor victims or victims of sexual assault.
According to the state Department of Public Safety website, Riha remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, unable to post bail.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.