A 51-year-old former Hilo resident is back on Hawai‘i Island facing serious child sex assault charges after his arrest in Florida. Mayapur Das Fiorentino pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Hilo Circuit Court to four counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor.
The indictment alleges the incidents occurred between March 2013 and July 2014 and involved a victim born in July 1998. Fiorentino was arrested in Miami Beach on May 7 and has since been returned to Hawai‘i Island to face the charges.
Arraignment and charges
Fiorentino was indicted by a Hilo grand jury on March 19, 2025, on four counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor who was at least 14 but younger than 16 at the time of the alleged offenses. A bench warrant initially set his bail at $150,000. After arguments from prosecutors and defense counsel, Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota raised bail to $400,000.
Fiorentino entered a not-guilty plea and was ordered to return to court on June 15 for further proceedings, according to West Hawaii Today.
Local prosecutors take lead
The case is being handled by the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office under Kelden Waltjen, which is responsible for prosecuting felony matters on Hawai‘i Island and coordinating with law enforcement on transfers and evidence. The office oversees felony charging decisions and will manage scheduling and discovery as the case moves through Hilo Circuit Court. More information about the office and its responsibilities is available from the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
What the charges could mean
Under Hawaii law, sexual assault in the first degree is classified as a Class A felony, which generally carries an indeterminate sentence with a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the Hawaii Judiciary.
Prosecutors in this case told reporters that when a defendant is convicted of multiple Class A felonies, an extended-term sentence could mean life with the possibility of parole, as reported by West Hawaii Today.
Next steps
Fiorentino remains in custody pending further proceedings and is scheduled to return to Hilo Circuit Court on June 15. At that hearing, the court is expected to set pretrial dates and address any motions, while prosecutors and defense counsel continue preparing the case.
