Man faces old child sex-assault count

A Halawa Correctional Facility guard is facing charges that he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy more than 10 years ago.

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Alefosio George Alefosio with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault.

The indictment says Alefosio committed the crimes between July 31, 1999, and Jan. 31, 2000.

Alefosio was 18 years old at the time, and the victim is a relative, said Klemen Urbanc, deputy prosecutor.

Urbanc said Alefosio presents a high risk of fleeing the country to avoid prosecution because he has relatives in Samoa, formerly Western Samoa, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Circuit Judge Richard Perkins set bail at $250,000 and ordered officials to confiscate Alefosio's passport.

State Public Safety Director Clayton Frank said he will place Alefosio on leave when he gets official notice of the charges. And if Alefosio is unable to post bail, Frank will decide appropriate confinement.

OHA aids Lunalilo tomb restoration

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is donating $150,000 to Lunalilo Home to restore King William Charles Lunalilo's tomb.

The sixth monarch of the Hawaiian kingdom reigned for just over a year starting in 1873 until he died of tuberculosis.

The tomb on the grounds of Kawaiaha'o Church was completed in 1875 and is one of the earliest examples of concrete block construction in Hawaii.

The donation is expected to cover about one-third of the estimated $450,000 cost of restoration.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Temblor gives the Big Island small shakes

A small earthquake measuring 3.5 in magnitude occurred Monday night on the Big Island.

The earthquake happened at about 10:20 p.m., about eight miles south of Volcano Village on the slope of Kilauea, said Big Island Civil Defense.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was about a third of a mile below the surface.

The earthquake was felt in Hilo, Captain Cook, Keaau and Paauilo.

A small aftershock measuring 2.8 in magnitude was recorded in the same area at 10:30 p.m., the USGS said on its website.

No tsunami was generated.