EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains graphic content.
A 54-year-old registered sex offender is facing three felony charges after allegedly abducting an underage girl at knifepoint early Saturday morning in downtown Hilo and forcing her to perform a sexual act on him.
Lawrence “Larry” Abiley of Hilo is charged with kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening and third-degree sexual assault.
Abiley made his initial appearance Monday afternoon in Hilo District Court. Deputy Public Defender Justin Lee requested that Judge Harry Freitas grant Abiley supervised release “against the recommendation” of the state Department of Public Safety’s Intake Service Center.
“Mr. Abiley requests his release so he may feed his animals,” Lee said.
Deputy Prosecutor Roland Kaholo Talon asked the court “to follow the recommendation to confirm and maintain the bail” of $70,000.
“Defendant, on top of being a convicted sex offender, has also been convicted for failing to register as a sex offender. He’s demonstrated that he does pose a serious danger to the public, and we ask the court to confirm bail,” Talon said.
The judge maintained Abiley’s bail and set a preliminary hearing for 2 p.m. Wednesday.
According to court documents filed by police, a 17-year-old girl told officers Abiley approached her on Kalakaua Street at about 2 a.m. Saturday, brandished a red-handled pocket knife and told her, “Come with me or I going cut you.”
The documents state the girl told police she feared for her life and thought she would be stabbed if she attempted to escape.
Abiley escorted the girl to his Haili Street apartment, documents state, dropped his pants and instructed her to fondle his privates.
The girl reportedly told police that after Abiley was finished, he kissed her and went to the bathroom, which is when she made her escape.
According to court records, Abiley was convicted on May 2, 1988, of four counts of first-degree sexual assault, plus attempted rape and burglary. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison with a minimum sentence of six years and eight months. He was also convicted on March 25, 2009, for failing to register as a sex offender and sentenced to a year in jail. He was again sentenced for failure to register as a sex offender on Oct. 4, 2010, and sentenced to a year in jail and five years probation.
He was released on parole in October 2011.
Kidnapping is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. Third-degree sexual assault and first-degree terroristic threatening are both Class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.