Former officer arrested for allegedly seeking sex with minor

Brandon Saffeels among six men detained under Operation Keiki Shield

Former Maui Police Department officer Brandon Saffeels was among six men arrested over the weekend after allegedly soliciting someone they believed to be a child for sex, police said.

The suspects also took "substantial steps" to meet with the minors to engage in criminal sexual acts with them, police said in a news release.

"However, instead of minors, these offenders were actually met and arrested by law enforcement officers," the news release said.

Saffeels, 37, of Waiehu was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child, indecent electronic display to a child and solicitation of a minor for prostitution. His bail was set at $500,000.

Saffeels had been an MPD officer for about four years before he was fired Nov. 22, 2019, after being placed on unpaid leave in August 2019 following an investigation into a complaint involving a woman he arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant after a crash. After she was released from custody, Saffeels began communicating with the woman over the phone and through text messages, soliciting a sexual relationship with her and telling her he would help her "beat" the case being brought against her by the Maui County prosecuting attorney, according to information in a federal case against Saffeels.

In November, he was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of wire fraud. Saffeels, who had been released on a $25,000 unsecured bond, was ordered to turn himself in Jan. 7 to serve the prison term.

His latest arrest was part of Operation Keiki Shield 10, which was conducted on Maui from Friday to Sunday by law enforcement officers from around the state, police said.

The others arrested were:

• Mark Hegnabon, 21, of Kahului, who was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

• Adrian Ortiz, 20, of Wailuku, who was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

• Zachariah Abejon, 23, of Paia, who was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

• Bryan Padilla-Arambula, 23, of Kahului, who was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

• Sebastian Bischert, 40, of Hamburg, Germany, who was arrested Sunday and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child and indecent electronic display to a child.

Except for Saffeels, bail was set at $150,000 for each of those arrested.

Police said the cases are being referred to the county Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for review. Some cases may be referred to federal law enforcement agencies.

Since Operation Keiki Shield started in March 2020 to identify, locate and arrest offenders who commit internet-facilitated sexual crimes against children, 23 suspects have been arrested on Maui, police said.

The operation is led by the state Department of the Attorney General, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and includes agents from local, state and federal law enforcement.

"The online sexual exploitation of young children and teenagers alike in our community is happening and is a real threat," according to the news release. "The offenders come from all different walks of life and all different backgrounds. The only commonality is the lasting emotional and physical damage that they do to our children."

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