Woman charged in sex assaults of 3 Big Isle kids
Raysean Paglinawan, 21, turned herself in to police on Friday
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HILO » An indictment against a former children's dance teacher accuses her of repeated sexual assault against three minors, at least two under the age of 14.
The teacher, now 21, was 17 at the time of the allegations.
Raysean Paglinawan of Naalehu turned herself in to Kona police on Friday following two indictments against her last week. She is being held in Hilo in lieu of $109,900 bail.
It is unclear whether the charges relate to her work as a hip-hop dance teacher at Naalehu Theater starting in summer 2004.
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HILO » A 21-year-old Big Island woman is being held in the Hawaii Community Correctional Center on 37 counts of sexual assault and related offenses against three minors, official said.
Raysean Paglinawan of Naalehu turned herself in to Kona police on Friday following two indictments against her last week. She is being held in Hilo in lieu of $109,900 bail.
The indictments give a sketchy picture of the alleged sexual activities against the victims, at least two of whom were under the age of 14 in 2004 when the events began. Paglinawan was 17 at the time.
The victims are identified only by their initials, and there is no indication whether they are boys or girls.
Two of the alleged offenses involve violating a protective order, and one involves custodial interference.
The custodial charge states that a minor was taken outside the state of Hawaii.
The deputy prosecutor assigned to the case could not be reached for clarification.
Most of the events allegedly took place in the Kau district, one of the most remote areas on the island. A few offenses allegedly took place in Kona.
A 2005 newsletter of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts identifies Paglinawan as teaching a hip-hop dance class for children at Naalehu in the Kau district in the summer of 2004. That summer was when the offenses allegedly began, but there is nothing in the indictments linking the offenses to Paglinawan's classes.
The dance classes were part of a theater arts program for children held at the old Naalehu Theater. It was designed to help children avoid drugs.
"Our program sought to provide a healthy drug-free environment for youth ages 7 to 17," the newsletter said. "Substance abuse information was continually woven into the activities."
The indictment says Paglinawan's first offense took place between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2004. It is classified as first-degree sexual assault, involving penetration. There are 15 charges involving that victim, continuing to 2005.
In 2006, sexual offenses allegedly began against a new victim, who was under 14. By December 2006 the victim had reached age 14, but Paglinawan was more than five years older, warranting more charges against her.
On April 30, 2007, Paglinawan was arrested for violating a protective order, but she was released.
Additional offenses against the second victim, finally totaling 16, allegedly continued until Aug. 2, 2007.
Details of offenses against the third victim were not immediately available.
