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Nanakuli man gets
prison for fondling

The judge agrees that sex
offender treatment is needed

A Nanakuli man who fondled a 14-year-old girl on a city bus as she slept was ordered to serve a year in jail and five years' probation.

Robert Kamaile, 39, pleaded no contest in March to two counts of third-degree sexual assault and third-degree attempted sexual assault in the Feb. 7 incident.

He claimed he was under the influence of the painkiller Vicodin and crystal methamphetamine at the time of the offense. He faced up to five years in prison.

Deputy public defender Jason Burks argued for probation, saying Kamaile accepted responsibility and needs substance abuse and sex offender treatment. Kamaile, employed as a painter before his arrest, apologized to the girl and her family. "I just like get help, get this behind me and get back to my life," he said.

Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy expressed concerns that Kamaile will re-offend, and argued for five years in prison.

Kamaile's record is replete with a "smorgasbord" of misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor convictions, including DUI, terroristic threatening, criminal trespass and contempt of court, she said. At the time of the offense, Kamaile was awaiting trial for fondling an 18-year-old girl on a city bus in September 2002, a case he later pleaded guilty to and was sentenced to time already served, she said.

Murphy praised the girl for coming forward.

"She should have been able to feel safe, and instead the defendant fondled her. ... She told him, 'Stop it'; he disregarded her wishes and did it again," Murphy said. "The child had the bravery to come forward and tell the bus driver," who detained Kamaile until police arrived.

Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto said Kamaile will serve some time in prison because he "preyed on young girls." But he agreed with the defense that Kamaile will remain a danger to the community if he gets out of prison and does not get treatment.

Under probation, Kamaile will be subject to strict supervision by probation officers and more intensive sex offender treatment, Sakamoto said.

"If you're not able to address these issues of substance abuse and sex offender treatment that you need, the only alternative is for the court to put you in prison for as long as possible," he said.

Murphy also commended the bus driver, Rodney Theodore. "Mr. Theodore went out of his way to protect the child, and that's exactly the kind of person we need in our community," she said.



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