Convicted molester faces fresh charges

Suspicions by the owner of a store lead to allegations that the man fondled a boy, 10

A GAME STORE owner's concern about a man's behavior with a 10-year-old customer in his store led to a police investigation and charges against the man.

Christopher Brainerd, 41, of Kapahulu was charged with four counts of third-degree sexual assault against the boy between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31. Brainerd is listed on the Hawaii Sex Offender Registry Web site for a 1996 conviction on the sexual assault of a minor.

The current charges accuse Brainerd of fondling the 10-year-old on four occasions when he brought the boy to his residence to watch television, play on the computer and play the Yu-Gi-Oh card game with him.

The boy, a fifth-grader, told police that Brainerd had befriended him when he was in third grade. He said they met at a Moiliili electronic and gaming store and that the man would buy him food and game cards. He said he went with Brainerd to his previous address and to his current Kapahulu Avenue residence.

Michael Otsuji, owner of Da Planet shop, called the Honolulu Police Department on Oct. 28 to report his concerns. He said he had observed the boy sitting on Brainerd's lap in the store about two months ago and told the adult that it was inappropriate conduct. When Otsuji heard two youngsters talking about the 10-year-old going to Brainerd's house, he called police, according to a court statement by sex crimes unit Detective Phillip Buchanan.

Brainerd was arrested Tuesday at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine in Kakaako, where he is employed in the information technology department.

Detectives discovered that Brainerd was on the Sex Offender Registry, based on a conviction for fondling an 8-year-old boy. He faces another possible charge for failing to notify authorities of his change of address, as required by the sexual offender registry.

His bail was set at $50,000.