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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Suspect arraigned in online child enticement case

Advertiser Staff

Matthew Goodman

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WAILUKU, Maui — A Honolulu man was arraigned yesterday on charges that he allegedly engaged in online sex chats with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl and then arranged to meet her on Maui.

Matthew S. Goodman, 28, who owns a computer business, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

Second Circuit Judge Joel August scheduled a bail hearing for tomorrow and set Goodman's trial for July 2. The defendant remains in custody, with bail set at $1 million.

Goodman was arrested Wednesday at Kalama Park in Kihei after allegedly arranging to meet his online chat partner, said Maui police Lt. John Jakubczak.

Goodman reportedly had been in contact with the girl over an eight-month period, Jakubczak said.

He would not say whether the case was generated by a sting operation set up to catch Internet predators, explaining only that the investigation resulted from monitoring of Internet chat rooms.

Electronic enticement of a child in the first degree is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A law passed by the Legislature last year requires a minimum one-year term.

The law is violated when a person uses a computer or other electronic device to communicate with a minor known to be under age 18, or with someone the person thinks is a minor, and agrees to meet with the minor and travels to an agreed-upon meeting place.

The Hawai'i Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has a site with Internet safety tips at www.hicac.com.