Man facing sexual assault charges held in lieu of $1M bail
WAILUKU — A Lahaina man is being held in lieu of $1 million bail after he was indicted on multiple charges of sexually assaulting a girl over a four-year period.
Roberto Morales Andrade, 45, has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of third-degree sexual assault and eight counts of first-degree sexual assault. The offenses occurred from July 2014 to June 2018, according to the indictment returned April 29.
During a hearing Wednesday in 2nd Circuit Court, Deputy Public Defender Heather Wolfenbarger asked for bail to be reduced for Morales Andrade. She said he has a home and job and no prior criminal history.
Deputy Prosecutor Elizabeth Nardi asked for bail to remain at $1 million, in part based on “the seriousness of the allegations, which involved the continuous and systematic sexual assault of a young girl” while she was between ages 9 and 13.
Nardi also raised the potential flight risk, noting that Morales Andrade is from Mexico and has family there.
“There is concern for the state that should the defendant post bail, he could possibly flee to Mexico and evade prosecution,” Nardi said.
Morales Andrade, who appeared by videoconference from the Maui Community Correctional Center, was assisted by a Spanish interpreter for the hearing Wednesday.
While Morales Andrade reported being employed at a luau in Lahaina, Nardi said he didn’t report his employment for several years at a restaurant on Front Street where he was arrested Friday.
He also reported living alone for six years on Maui, which Nardi said was inaccurate based on the investigation resulting in the sexual assault charges.
Wolfenbarger said the bail amount would still be significant if it were cut in half to $500,000 or reduced to $100,000.
Judge Kirstin Hamman kept bail at $1 million, citing the nature of the charges and the number of Class A felonies carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
“The court is concerned with both the safety of the public as well as the risk of flight of the defendant,” Hamman said.
A June 13 pretrial conference is set for Morales Andrade.