'Ewa Beach man gets 20 years for teen assaults

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

An 'Ewa Beach man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four teenage girls was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison.

Jovie Adora was sentenced by Circuit Judge Derrick Chan under a plea agreement with prosecutors. Adora pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping in March.

Adora was supposed to be sentenced in June, but he fled after telling his attorney, Keith Shigetomi, that he was having chest pains and needed to see a doctor.

Adora bought a one-way ticket to Guam and was heading to the Philippines, officials said. Guam police arrested him as he got off a Continental Airlines flight and he was extradited to Hawai'i. Adora faces an additional bail jumping charge, which is a felony that carries a maximum five-year term.

Before being sentenced yesterday, Chan denied a motion by Adora to withdraw his guilty plea. Adora told Chan that he pleaded guilty because he and his family were threatened by men who identified themselves as police officers.

Adora said the men put a gun to his head in a car in February and told him to follow the plea agreement. If he didn't, Adora said, he was told he would be killed and his family harmed.

Chan dismissed the motion, saying Adora did not meet the burden of proof, said Jonathan Burge, Adora's new attorney.

Burge said he may appeal Chan's ruling. Adora said the threat was one reason he fled in June, Burge said. Before being sentenced, Adora apologized to his victims and to his family.

Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.