A 20-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to five criminal counts stemming from an attack and theft case involving Carly Ng, a Wahiawa woman with special needs, bringing a case that drew statewide attention toward a close more than a year after the underlying incidents. Jasmine Keola changed her plea on Monday, admitting to an amended kidnapping charge, attempted fourth-degree theft, third-degree assault and two counts of fourth-degree theft.
According to Hawaii News Now, the charges stem from incidents in March and April 2025. Court documents cited by the station say Keola admitted that on April 17, 2025, she restrained Ng with the intent to cause bodily injury or terrorize her. She also admitted to assaulting Ng and attempting to take the contents of her backpack, while two separate theft counts involved gift cards belonging to Ng.
The April 17 attack was captured on video that later spread widely online, according to Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The footage drew public outrage and helped spur the investigation that followed.
How the Case Reached a Guilty Plea
An Oahu grand jury indicted Keola in September 2025 on kidnapping, third-degree assault, attempted fourth-degree theft and two counts of fourth-degree theft, the Star-Advertiser reported at the time. The indictment came after the Honolulu Police Department said detectives had determined the case involved elements supporting a felony investigation.
The Honolulu Police Department said in a statement on its website that criminal charges were ultimately brought against two adults and six juveniles in connection with the broader case. Police listed a range of alleged conduct among the group, including kidnapping, second-degree robbery, third-degree assault, third-degree extortion, second- and fourth-degree theft, and fourth-degree criminal property damage, though the specific counts Keola pleaded guilty to this week are narrower than that full list.
Per the Star-Advertiser's earlier reporting, the victim had reportedly been targeted by the suspects repeatedly dating back to February 2025, though that detail was attributed with medium confidence in earlier coverage of the case. HPD said at the time that the female victim was in good condition.
Terms of the Plea Agreement
Under the agreement described by Hawaii News Now, Keola agreed to a four-year probation term and 18 months in jail, with credit for time already served. She has been in custody since September 2025, the outlet reported.
The plea deal also prohibits Keola from contacting Ng or the other juveniles involved in the underlying incidents and requires her to participate in anger management classes. For the remaining counts beyond the kidnapping charge, the agreement calls for 30-day jail terms that would run concurrently with each other and with any other jail sentence, again with credit for time served.
Court documents noted that Ng was voluntarily released alive and in a safe place before trial, a detail tied to the kidnapping charge under the plea agreement. Keola's sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2027, when a judge is expected to formally determine her punishment based on the terms reached in the agreement.
