(BIVN) – A Kona man has been found guilty of Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree and Attempted Promoting Pornography for Minors. 

32 year-old Micaiah Smith, out on $15,000 bail, is now scheduled to have a sentencing hearing on June 24, 2024. The Court denied a request from prosecutors to have Smith’s bail revoked and have him taken into custody. 

Smith was one of four men arrested in the Operation Keiki Shield that took place between March 31, 2023 and April 2, 2023. The operation is part of a multi-agency undercover operation designed to identify and arrest individuals using the internet to facilitate sexual crimes against children. 

Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced the Kona jury’s decision on Wednesday, and added:

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Smith exchanged text messages and sent pictures of his genitals to an undercover police officer, whom Smith believed to be a 15 year-old girl. Electronic Enticement of a Child in the First Degree is a Class B felony offense which carries a penalty of a ten-year prison term without the possibility of probation and mandates registration as a sex offender. Attempted Promoting Pornography for Minors is a class C felony offense which carries a maximum penalty of a five-year prison term. Operation Keiki Shield is a state-federal-local collaborative initiative focused on identifying and arresting offenders who commit internet-facilitated sex crimes against minors and rescuing victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Operation Keiki Shield included members of numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Hawai‘i Police Department (“HPD”), Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Department of the Attorney General, Internet Crimes Against Children’s (“ICAC”) Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Honolulu Police Department, and the Maui Police Department (“MPD”). The case was led by Acting Lieutenant Brandon Mansur, Area II Community Policing formerly of the Juvenile Aid Section, HPD, and Detective John Surina, MPD. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Annaliese Wolf and Matthew Woodward.

“Our Office is committed to seeking justice for victims and protecting our community from those who prey upon our keiki,” said Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen. “This verdict was the result of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of HPD, MPD, and our prosecutors. I would also like to the thank the jury for their time and service.

The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney remains dedicated to the pursuit of justice with integrity and commitment. Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.