Two males residing in East Hawaii are under scrutiny for individual sexual assault allegations.
Two fellows from East Hawaii got slapped with arrests in distinct, unrelated scenarios, accused of heinous sexual assault charges.
In the first instance, a Hilo grand jury handed down an indictment on 46-year-old Justin Makoto Pittullo of Hilo, charging him with kidnapping, continual sexual assault of a minor under 14, and four counts of forcible third-degree sexual assault. The victims were reportedly two young girls, aged 8 and 6, with initials used instead of their real names in the court documents. Pittullo allegedly shared the same home with the older victim or had recurring access to her.
The alleged offenses against the older child are said to have occurred between January 1 and March 31, 2015, while the single count of third-degree sexual assault against the younger victim is claimed to have taken place on April 8, 2025.
Pittullo's court appearance took place on Friday. Deputy Public Defender Kenji Akamu made a special appearance because the Office of Public Defender had an ongoing conflict and requested to withdraw from the case. Pittullo then asked to represent himself with standby counsel, a motion that was denied by Judge Henry Nakamoto.
Akamu pleaded for Pittullo's release on supervised release (a form of cashless bail) or a reduction in his $430,000 bail. However, Deputy Prosecutor Jeff Malate argued against Pittullo's release or reduction of his bail. In light of the accusations in the indictment and the severe nature of the charges, Judge Nakamoto maintained Pittullo's bail and set a status hearing for 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Should Pittullo be convicted of the Class A felonies, an extended sentence could potentially mean life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. Interestingly, recent legislative activity in Hawaii emphasizes stricter penalties for crimes involving extreme cruelty or sadism, which could apply to aggravated sexual assault cases.
As for the second case, 18-year-old Keoni Kaua Jarra of Kurtistown was re-arrested on April 25 as an adult on sexual assault charges he was previously indicted for as a minor in February. The indictment charges Jarra with three counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree sexual assault, all alleged to have occurred on November 27, 2024. At that time, Jarra was 17, while the victim (identified by initials) was 13. The gender of the victim wasn't specified in the indictment.
Jarra initially pleaded not guilty to the charges (three Class A felonies and a Class C felony) on February 26. His original bail was $255,000, but court records indicate he was granted supervised release on April 17 by Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota. Jarra has another court appearance scheduled before Kubota for "further proceedings" at 9 a.m. May 12.
Hawaii's felony sentencing guidelines consist of specific offense classifications, where recent legislative developments have had an impact on penalties for violent crimes. While the details for sexual assault charges under Class A felonies are less explicit, it's worth noting that recent bills favor stiffer penalties for crimes involving extreme cruelty or sadism, which could apply in some sexual assault cases. For precise sexual assault sentencing, consult Hawaii Revised Statutes §707-730 for exact classifications.
- The indictment against Justin Makoto Pittullo in East Hawaii indicates charges of kidnapping, sexual assault of a minor, and multiple counts of forcible third-degree sexual assault.
- Despite his request for self-representation, Judge Henry Nakamoto denied Pittullo's motion and maintained his $430,000 bail.
- In the second case, Keoni Kaua Jarra, at the age of 18, was re-arrested and indicted as an adult for three counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree sexual assault.
- If Pittullo is convicted, the possibility of life imprisonment with parole might apply to his sentence due to the severe nature of the charges and recent legislative emphasis on stricter penalties for crimes involving extreme cruelty or sadism.
- The health-and-wellness, sexual-health, general-news, and crime-and-justice sectors might be impacted by the ongoing cases of Pittullo and Jarra, with their convictions potentially leading to changes in legislative policy regarding penalties for sexual assault crimes in Hawaii.
