Two gentlemen from East Hawaii confront separate allegations of sexual misconduct.
Two dudes living in the eastern part of Hawaii got busted in unrelated incidents, both accused of sexually assaulting minors.
Let's talk about the first case. Justin Makoto Pittullo, aged 46 from Hilo, got hit with some serious allegations. The reigning grand jury tossed a six-count indictment at him, charging him with sordid stuff like kidnapping, continuous sexual abuse of a minor, and four counts of plain third-degree sexual assault.
According to the indictment, the victims were a couple of young girls, aged 8 and 6, identifiable only by their initials - and Pittullo, for some unspecified reason, had access to one of them. All the sketchy stuff against the older kid is alleged to have gone down between January 1st and March 31st, 2015. The single count of third-degree sexual assault against the younger victim is reported to have occurred on April 8th, 2025.
Pittullo popped up in the Hilo Circuit Court recently. His lawyer, Kenji Akamu, made a special appearance and asked to withdraw from the case due to a conflict of interest. Pittullo requested to represent himself, but the judge denied his self-representation request, insisting he obtain legal counsel. Akamu begged for Pittullo to be let out on bail or have his $430,000 bail reduced. The prosecutor, Jeff Malate, objected strongly, opposing any release or reduction in Pittullo's bail.
Nakamoto kept Pittullo's bail as it was, considering the severity of the allegations. Pittullo's court date has been set for May 12th.
Now let's discuss the second case. Keoni Kaua Jarra, a 18-year-old from Kurtistown, got re-arrested earlier this month for sexual assault charges that were initially filed against him when he was a minor. Jarra copped to three counts of first-degree sexual assault and a single count of third-degree sex assault. All the icky stuff is said to have occurred on November 27th, 2024. Jarra was 17 at the time, and the victim was 13. The victim has since turned 14, according to the indictment.
Jarra pleaded innocent to the charges on February 26th. His initial bail was $255,000, but court records show he was given supervised release on April 17th by Judge Peter Kubota. Jarra is all set to appear before Kubota on May 12th for further hearings.
Now, it's crucial to note that in Hawaii, multiple Class A felonies — say, kidnapping, continuous sexual assault of a minor, and standard sex assault charges — can bring some serious trouble:
- A Class A felony conviction can land you in the clinker for up to 20 years.
- If the acts meet the criteria under a pattern-of-abuse provision like SB 281, continuous sexual assault of a minor can also be considered a Class A felony.
- If you have several Class A felony convictions, prosecutors might seek stacking penalties, adding up to 40 years if served consecutively.
- Hawaii's sentencing laws allow judges to impose life imprisonment with parole if your convictions exceed a combined 40-year maximum or if the court believes you pose a long-term public danger.
- Aggravating circumstances like acts involving minors, especially those showing prolonged cruelty, strengthen the case for maximum sentences.
Parole eligibility, however, doesn't ensure automatic freedom - that depends on parole board assessments. Though consecutive sentences and extended terms are rarely imposed, cases involving extreme violence, repeat offenses, or systemic abuse tend to result in harsher penalties.
- In the first case, Justin Makoto Pittullo, a 46-year-old from Hilo, faces a six-count indictment, including charges of kidnapping, continuous sexual abuse of a minor, and three counts of third-degree sexual assault.
- The indictment alleges that Pittullo sexually assaulted two young girls, aged 8 and 6, between January 1st and March 31st, 2015, and on April 8th, 2025.
- Pittullo's court date has been set for May 12th, but his lawyer Kenji Akamu had requested self-representation, which was denied.
- In the second case, Keoni Kaua Jarra, an 18-year-old from Kurtistown, has pleaded innocent to charges of three counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree sex assault, which are said to have occurred on November 27th, 2024.
- In Hawaii, a Class A felony conviction for offenses such as kidnapping, continuous sexual assault of a minor, and standard sex assault charges can result in imprisonment for up to 20 years, with the possibility of additional sentences for multiple convictions, maximum sentences of life imprisonment with parole, and harsher penalties for acts involving minors or systemic abuse.
