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A 49-year-old Lahaina man was sentenced to 60 years in prison Monday for sexually assaulting a child over a period of nearly four years, beginning in 2014.
Roberto Omar Morales Andrade was sentenced in Maui Circuit Court after a jury found him guilty of eight counts of first-degree sexual assault and eight counts of third-degree sexual assault following a two-week trial in July.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a unanimous verdict on all counts.
At trial, the jury heard evidence Morales Andrade used a position of trust to isolate and repeatedly sexually abuse the victim over a span of nearly four years, beginning when the child was 9 years old and continuing until age 13.
The abuse began with acts of manipulation before escalating to increasingly severe sexual contact. Morales Andrade would take advantage of periods when the child was home alone to carry out the abuse, telling the child not to tell anyone and that no one would believe the child if the sexual abuse were disclosed.
A family member eventually discovered the ongoing abuse through a text message the child sent a peer, which led to a report to law enforcement and the charges in this case.
In the state's sentencing memorandum, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Frank Loyd Jr. asked the court to impose consecutive terms due to the seriousness of the crimes.
Maui County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew H. Martin also acknowledged the courage and strength of the victim for coming forward and testifying against the defendant.
"This administration is committed to pursuing justice for survivors of child sexual assault and holding offenders accountable through prosecution under the law," he said. "Every child deserves to be safe, protected and heard."
Judge Kirsten M. Hamman presided over the trial and imposed the sentence.