A Maui jury on July 16 found 49-year-old Lahaina resident Roberto Omar Morales Andrade guilty on all 16 counts in a child sex assault case, returning a unanimous verdict after a two-week trial. Jurors convicted Andrade of eight counts of first-degree sexual assault and eight counts of third-degree sexual assault. He was remanded into custody on $500,000 bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2026, according to a county news release.
Prosecutors told jurors the abuse began in 2014, when the victim was nine years old, and continued until she was 13, alleging that Andrade used his relationship with a relative and shared access to the home to isolate and repeatedly abuse the child, according to Maui Now. The jury came back with the guilty verdict in less than two hours of deliberation after hearing closing arguments.
In a press release, County of Maui Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin praised the victim’s willingness to come forward and framed the verdict as part of his office’s broader effort to hold sexual offenders accountable. "I want to acknowledge the bravery and courage of this victim," Martin said in the statement, which also notes that the abuse escalated over time and was reported only after a family member reviewed a text message, per County of Maui.
Trial Evidence and How the Case Came to Light
At trial, jurors heard that Andrade took advantage of times when the child was home alone, warning her not to tell her mother and insisting that no one would believe her if she did. According to Maui Now, the secret broke when a family member discovered a text message the child had sent to her then-boyfriend that referenced the abuse. That discovery prompted a report to law enforcement and ultimately led to the charges.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Frank Loyd Jr., assisted by law clerk Janelle Bednar, and was presided over by Second Circuit Judge Kirsten M. Hamman, according to the same report. Their work culminated in the unanimous verdict that ended the trial phase of the case.
Legal Penalties and Next Steps
Andrade faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each first-degree sexual assault count and up to five years on each third-degree count; sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 12, 2026, and he remains in custody on $500,000 bail, the county release states. Under Hawaii law, sexual assault in the first degree is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years' imprisonment, as outlined in the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
The judge will decide at sentencing whether any prison terms run concurrently or consecutively, a call that will determine how long Andrade ultimately spends behind bars. With the conviction now in place, the October hearing becomes the next formal milestone for both the survivor and the broader Lahaina community watching the case.
