KEALAKEKUA — A jury trial was moved to November for a Kona teen facing felony sex assault charges in an alleged rape that reportedly occurred two years ago.
On Tuesday, Samuel Latrik, 18, appeared in Kona Circuit Court, where Judge Robert D.S. Kim was to rule on several motions in connection with the originally scheduled Oct. 23 jury trial. One of those motions was to continue the trial, which was pushed to next month.
Latrik is one of two suspects accused of sexually assaulting a woman at Old Kona Airport Park in September 2016. Tyron Sigrah, 18, was arrested in November 2017 in connection with the assault and pleaded guilty in September to first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault and second-degree robbery.
Sigrah was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. The Hawaii Paroling Authority has six months from the teen’s sentencing to set his minimum sentence.
Kim granted the defense’s request to unseal Sigrah’s statements contained in his presentence investigative report. Kim released redacted portions of the PSI to the defense and prosecution.
Latrik’s counsel, James Biven, also requested a venue transfer in the “event the jury pool is determined to be biased due to pretrial publicity.” Kim denied the motion.
Latrik and Sigrah are accused of beating and raping a woman on Sept. 3, 2016, on the soccer field at Old Kona Airport Park. According to the Hawaii Police Department, two boys approached the woman, punched and sexually assaulted her. Police added the boys fled when confronted by an unidentified person.
Latrik is charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, kidnapping, second-degree robbery, first-degree terroristic threatening and third-degree sexual assault.
Latrik was arrested in January in connection with the case.
Both teens appeared in Family Court when they were originally charged because they were juveniles at the time of the reported crime. The judge, however, waived their cases to adult court proceedings in Circuit Court.
Latrik is set to appear in court Oct. 23 for an additional hearing in preparations for November’s trial.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.
