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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 6:38 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Online child enticement suspect arrested

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force agents were waiting at Kahala Mall today for a man who expected to meet a teenage girl for sex.

The 23-year-old Mo'ili'ili man is expected to be the fourth person charged this year with first-degree electronic enticement of a child, said state deputy attorney general Kristin Izumi-Nitao.

According to a Department of Attorney General news release, the man allegedly engaged in online chats with a Honolulu police detective, posing as a 13-year-old girl, and arranged to pick her up at the mall and take her back to his apartment for sex. The arrest occurred at 9:55 a.m. when the man showed up at the designated meeting place.

It is the third case involving an alleged online child predator this month in Hawai'i, said Izumi-Nitao.

On May 1, 54-year-old Daryl G. Lee of Kapolei was arrested at Kewalo Marine Lab after he showed up to meet a juvenile girl for sex. Lee, who is free on $40,000 bail, was arraigned Monday at Circuit Court.

Also on May 1, Matthew S. Goodman, 28, was arraigned in Maui District Court on two counts of engaging in online sex chats with someone he believed was a girl, 13, and then arranging to meet her on Maui. Goodman, who owns a computer business, pleaded not guilty and will be tried in July. His bail is $1 million.

The task force in January arrested Jason Scott Neu, 52, of Honolulu on a complaint from Michigan authorities that he allegedly sent an "e-ticket" to bring what he thought was a 14-year-old boy from Detroit to Honolulu for a sexual encounter. Neu was arrested at Honolulu Airport and charged under Michigan law with child sexually abusive behavior.

The task force is made up of personnel from police, the state attorney general's office, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement.