Art teacher gets 10 years
in jail for molesting 13
students, 9-10Brian Ibaan will serve
By Susan Kreifels
20 terms concurrently
Star-BulletinA contract art teacher was sentenced to 10 years in prison today for fondling 13 girls in their classrooms at three elementary schools or in his home.
Brian Ibaan, 40, who worked in the Department of Education's Artists in the Schools program, pleaded guilty in October to 20 counts of third-degree sexual assault. He admitted touching the 9- and 10-year-old girls on their breasts at Mililani Mauka, Barbers Point and Mauka Lani elementary schools. One victim was molested in Ibaan's home during private art lessons.
Parents of three victims described their outrage to Circuit Judge John Bryant.
"My daughter has nightmares and stomach aches," said one mother, who was a victim of sexual abuse herself. "I thought she would be safe at school. It's destroyed my household, relationship and daughter."
One father said he felt the sentence was too light. "If I wasn't going to be arrested, I would jump over and tear his head off his shoulders," he said.
The parents requested their names not be used to protect their daughters' identities.
Bryant sentenced Ibaan to 10 years for each of the 20 counts, all to be served at the same time. The court did not order a mandatory minimum sentence. That will be decided by the parole board.
Ibaan, who showed little emotion, briefly apologized to the families for his actions, all of which occurred between November 1998 and April this year.
"I pray this will bring about closure," Ibaan said.
Bryant said he was not "very impressed" by Ibaan's statement and called him a danger to the community. "The school should be a place of safety. To violate that trust is outrageous."
