Bail kept at $150K for man charged with child enticement

WAILUKU – Bail remains at $150,000 for a Kihei man who was arrested after allegedly arranging to meet someone he thought was a teenage girl for sex.

John Wilcox, 53, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree electronic enticement of a child and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.

He was among 10 men arrested last year in a police sting operation.

Appearing in court by videoconference Tuesday from the Maui Community Correctional Center, Wilcox asked for his bail to be reduced to an amount he could afford or to be released on supervision.

Wilcox has a residence, employment and family ties, said Deputy Public Defender Ben Lowenthal.

He said Wilcox’s last criminal conviction occurred 13 years ago.

In asking for bail to remain at $150,000, Deputy Prosecutor Robert Rivera said Wilcox sought out someone he believed was a 13-yearold girl, but who was actually an undercover police officer, and arranged a meeting for sex.

When he arrived at the location, Wilcox had a packet containing a small amount of crystal methamphetamine, as well as a packet of the drug on the front seat of his vehicle and marijuana, Rivera said.

He said Wilcox, who was arrested March 16, 2020, used the internet code name “You can’t handle.”

“He does pose a serious risk to the children of our community,” Rivera said.

He said Wilcox has seven contempt-of-court convictions, indicating his risk of fleeing.

Second Circuit Judge Kelsey Kawano denied the defense requests for supervised release or bail reduction.

He said the charge against Wilcox alleges “a very high risk of harm to the youth in our community.”

Wilcox was reported to possess more than 13 grams of methamphetamine and 22 grams of marijuana, Kawano said.

“The current bail is appropriate,” he said.