Posted on: Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Policeman charged in Maui sex extortion

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Maui police officer was arrested yesterday after being indicted on charges that he attempted to force a woman to commit sexual acts while she was in custody last month.

Officer Aaron Won, 25, was indicted by a Maui grand jury Friday on charges of attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and attempted extortion. He turned himself in at the Wailuku police station yesterday afternoon and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Won has been with the Maui Police Department for about two years and was a patrol officer assigned to the Lahaina district. Police said Won has been off duty since July 28, when the investigation began.

A 27-year-old Lahaina woman told police that she was taken to the Napili police substation by Won on July 28 following a traffic stop.

According to police, the woman said that while at the station, Won threatened to arrest her if she did not comply with his demands for "sexual favors." The woman refused and police said she was arrested by Won for several traffic offenses. Police said there was no sexual contact.

They said the woman did not know Won until the day of the incident.

Won was in uniform, on duty and using a marked Maui Police Department car when the alleged incident occurred, police said.

Maui Police Chief Tom Phillips declined to comment yesterday and has scheduled a press conference for today.

Maui prosecutor Davelynn Tengan could not be reached for comment.

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