Bail kept at $500K for man facing new sex assault charges

Edward Jensen was convicted in 1996 for sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl

WAILUKU -- A judge kept bail at $500,000 Thursday for a man facing charges of sexually assaulting a girl, years after he was sent to prison for sexually assaulting another girl.

Edward Jensen, 49, of Wailuku has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of first-degree sexual assault and first-degree promoting child abuse in his latest case.

He was arrested Aug. 7 on a Maui County grand jury indictment returned June 26 and charging him with crimes occurring from August 2012 to June 2015.

During a bail hearing Thursday in 2nd Circuit Court, First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rivera asked for the bail amount to be kept at $500,000.

Rivera was the deputy prosecutor at a 1996 trial that led to Jensen's convictions for two counts of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl who was a 3rd-grader at Christ the King School in Kahului, Rivera said.

In July 1996, Jensen was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

"He was only 26 at the time," Rivera said. "There was hope that he would never do this again."

Jensen was ordered to undergo sex offender treatment and was paroled after 10 years, Rivera said. "While on parole, he reoffended," Rivera said.

He said the victim in the new case is a relative of Jensen.

"He started grooming her at age 12," Rivera said. "He started forcing her to become his sexual partner at age 13.

"There's no question Mr. Jensen poses a severe danger and risk to the community and to society as a whole."

Deputy Public Defender Ben Lowenthal asked the court to reduce bail to $20,000, as Jensen requested.

"I am and have been a productive member of our community," said Jensen, who appeared by videoconference from the Maui Community Correctional Center for the hearing Thursday. "I am not a flight risk, nor a threat to society. Maui is my home and I have strong ties here."

He said he has been part of a hula halau for the past 15 years and has been clean and sober while helping others stay clean and sober as an "active member of two 12-step programs."

Jensen also said he was employed. "My van is sitting with my tools in the job site, waiting for me to return," he said.

He asked for his bail to be reduced "so I can get my affairs in order and prepare for this trial."

In keeping bail at $500,000, 2nd Circuit Judge Kelsey Kawano said he considered factors including Jensen's financial circumstances, his prior record and the serious allegations he is facing.

"You have, again, a young victim who is unable to speak for herself, to protect herself," Kawano said. "This particularly vulnerable person was made the victim in this case.

"I understand that there's a presumption of innocence. Nevertheless, the court needs to consider seriously the nature and circumstances of this offense that you're being charged with."

A Sept. 14 pretrial is set for Jensen.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.