Updated at 3:49 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Charges dropped against child sex assault suspect
By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Staff Writer
Shane Ngirmidol had been held on $50,000 bail following his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting the girl in the backyard of her Kalihi home the night of May 7.
He was accused of climbing over a chain-link fence, luring the girl to a darkened tool shed and giving the girl $1, according to police.
Ngirmidol, who has no permanent address here, was arrested at 5 p.m. the next day at Palama and North King streets.
At his first court appearance on Friday, a defense lawyer said Ngirmidol was pleading not guilty to the first-degree sexual assault and the third-degree sexual assault charges. First-degree sexual assault carries a prison term of up to 20 years.
Jim Fulton, executive assistant at the prosecutor's office, said the charges were dropped and Ngirmidol was released pending further investigation.
Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.