Puna man convicted for electronic enticement of a minor

A Hilo jury has convicted a 32-year-old Puna man who was arrested in a sting dubbed “Operation Keiki Shield.”

It was the second conviction of a defendant arrested in the multi-agency law enforcement sting.

Sonny “Junya” Puerto was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree electronic enticement of a child.

Puerto was one of five men arrested and charged in May 2021 in the first installment of the sting aimed at sexual predators targeting minors.

According to county Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, after the jury verdict was read, Deputy Prosecutors Haaheo Kahoohalahala and Patrick Munoz asked Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota to order Puerto — who had been free on $30,000 bail — be taken into custody without bail.

The judge denied the request, but increased Puerto’s bail to $500,000 and ordered that he be taken into custody and return Oct. 14 for sentencing.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Puerto exchanged text messages with an undercover police officer, whom Puerto believed to be a 13 year-old girl, where he requested sexual intercourse and other sex acts.

First-degree electronic enticement of a child is a Class B felony offense which carries a 10- year prison term without the possibility of probation. The conviction also requires that Puerto register as a sex offender.

Operation Keiki Shield is a state-federal-local collaborative initiative. The 2021 sting included the Hawaii Police Department, the Hawaii County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the Department of the Attorney General, Internet Crimes Against Children’s (“ICAC”) Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and Honolulu, Maui and Kauai police departments.

The first Operation Keiki Shield Defendant convicted was 32-year-old Micaiah Smith of Kailua-Kona.

A Kona jury found Smith — who was arrested during a sting which took place last year in Kona between March 31 and April 2 — guilty on April 23 of first-degree electronic enticement of a child and attempted promotion of pornography for minors.

Third Circuit Chief Judge Robert Kim — who has since retired and become chief administrator for Big Island courts — sentenced Smith to 10 years in prison.

The cases of several Operation Keiki Shield defendants remain active in the courts.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.